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The NFL offseason continues as teams league-wide are in the closing weeks of mini camps. Fanbases across the league have just a couple months to wait before teams begin the preseason slate of games.
Some fans are looking ahead already to the 2025 NFL Draft when another crop of new talent can help their favorite team improve. The 2024 NFL Draft saw a record-tying six quarterbacks taken in the first round. Next year’s class may not have the same number of top quarterbacks but some are already staking claim as a top prospect ahead of this upcoming college football season.
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Here’s how the consensus top 10 quarterbacks of the 2024 NFL Draft class rank by QBR, ESPN’s quarterback metric that uses statistics, context, and efficiency to provide a rating, last season:
Weigman started four games for the Aggies in 2023 and went 3-1 before a foot injury ended his season in the fourth game of the year against Auburn. He was productive in his first three starts by completing 70.4% of his passes with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to his injury, he had another pair of touchdowns on the ground. He’ll have a chance at his first full year as a starter this fall in College Station.
The top-ranked full-time starter by QBR on this list, Fifita led Arizona to its first 10-win season since 2014 last fall. He earned Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year honors after completing 72.4% of his passes for 25 touchdowns and six interceptions. Arizona will be in a new conference, the Big 12, in 2024 with a new coach in Brent Brennan.
In his first year as a starter, Beck threw for 3,941 yards – second-most in single-season school history – and broke the school record for completion percentage at 72.4%. He threw for 24 touchdowns to six interceptions and rushed for another four touchdowns. The Bulldogs fell in the SEC championship to Alabama last season but Beck could be primed for another great year in 2024.
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Milroe led Alabama to another SEC championship in 2023 after losing to Georgia in 2022. The Crimson Tide fell to Michigan in the Rose Bowl but Milroe had a solid first season as a starter, punctuated by a go-ahead touchdown to Isaiah Bond in the Iron Bowl on 4th and 27. He’s one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks on this list; he rushed for 531 yards and 12 touchdowns in addition to his 2,834 yards and 23 touchdowns passing. He is the only player on this list to finish in the top 10 of Heisman Trophy voting in 2023 at sixth.
Texas enters the SEC this season after making the College Football Playoff for the first time thanks in no small part to Ewers. The Longhorns’ starter improved on his freshman season by completing 69% of his passes for 3,479 yards and 22 touchdowns to six interceptions as a sophomore in 2023. Lots of eyes will be on highly touted backup Arch Manning but Ewers looks poised for another good season with new weapons at wide receiver – including Bond, who transferred from Alabama to Texas.
Dart improved in his second year as the full-time starter for Ole Miss across the board. He completed 65.1% of his passes for 3,364 yards and 23 touchdowns to five interceptions. The biggest improvement didn’t show up in the stat sheet, though, with his better play outside of the pocket. He scored eight rushing touchdowns and was more accurate in scrambling situations. He could take another leap this year.
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Allar’s stats were worse than many of the other quarterbacks on this list. He completed just 59.9% of his passes for 2,631 yards and 25 touchdowns but threw just two interceptions in 13 games. He has the size – 6-foot-5 and 241 pounds – and arm strength to produce. New offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki helped coach up a top-25 scoring offense in each of the past two years in Kansas. He could help take Allar’s game to another level this fall.
Leonard’s 2023 season with Duke was cut short after a season-ending leg injury in a loss to Notre Dame. Prior to that, he completed 57.6% of his passes for 1,102 yards and three touchdowns and three interceptions. On the ground, he piled up 352 yards and four touchdowns in seven games. He was peaky at times for the Blue Devils in 2023 and transferring to Notre Dame could give him the environment to improve his accuracy at consistency.
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Ward may have the strongest arm among quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft class. He’s a threat outside the pocket as well with 13 rushing touchdowns over his last two seasons. He started last season with Washington State strong by completing 74.4% of his passes for 1,393 yards and 13 touchdowns to zero interceptions in the first four games. The rest of the season was a stark difference: 63.7% completion rate, 2,342 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Now the question is how much he can improve now in South Florida.
One of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft handled the change in competition from Jackson State to Colorado well in 2023. Sanders was the third-best clean pocket passer, per Pro Football Focus, behind only Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. He completed 69.3% of his passes for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns, and a career-low three interceptions. That came even as Colorado lost eight of its final nine games. An improved offensive line could pay off in a big way for Sanders.
These quarterbacks are many of the favorites for college football’s top honor, per BetMGM odds. Here’s how the top 10 look:
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