Many NFL teams will open training camp next week, where the pursuit of Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in February begins.
The 2024 NFL Draft featured six quarterbacks selected in the first 12 picks, and all of them are expected to start in Week 1 of the upcoming season. Jayden Daniels, who went No. 2 overall to the Commanders, was a legitimate MVP candidate as a rookie.
This year’s draft saw just two quarterbacks — Cam Ward (No. 1, Titans) and Jaxson Dart (No. 25, Giants) — taken in the first round. Both could start Week 1.
There are a lot of good young quarterbacks in the league right now, but becoming one of the top five players at the position is pretty difficult when you look at who’s currently in that group.
So without further ado, let’s get to our first QB rankings of the 2025 season.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
2024 stats: 3,928 yards, 26 TD, 11 INT
Even after a lackluster performance in a Super Bowl LIX loss to the Eagles, Mahomes remains the best player and quarterback in pro football. He has won three Super Bowl titles and two league MVPs since becoming a starter in 2018. And he has reached at least the AFC Championship Game in each season he’s been the Chiefs’ starting QB.
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2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
2024 stats: 4,918 yards, 43 TD, 9 INT
Burrow nearly reached 5,000 passing yards last season and almost led the Bengals to the playoffs after the team started out 1-4. If Burrow and the Bengals are healthy, they will be a top contender to win the AFC. Cincy’s offense has the potential to be a top-three unit.
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
2024 stats: 3,731 yards, 28 TD, 6 INT
Allen led the Bills to a fifth consecutive AFC East title and won the first league MVP of his career in 2024. He also ran for 531 yards and 12 touchdowns. Playoff success has eluded Allen throughout his career, mostly because he’s 0-5 against Mahomes. Allen will have to overcome his nemesis at some point in January if he’s going to lead Buffalo to its first Lombardi Trophy.
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4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
2024 stats: 4,172 yards, 41 TD, 4 INT
A 41-4 TD/INT ratio is just absurd. Jackson is an absolute nightmare to defend as a passer and a runner. But similar to Allen, he has not played at an elite level in the playoffs on a consistent basis. As long as Jackson is healthy, however, the Ravens will be a top contender in the AFC.
5. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
2024 stats: 2,903 yards, 18 TD, 5 INT
Hurts played fantastic during the Eagles’ playoff run, which culminated with a Super Bowl LIX title over the Chiefs. It was sweet revenge for Hurts, who lost to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. Hurts is an elite dual-threat QB and a matchup nightmare when fully healthy.
6. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
2024 stats: 3,568 yards, 25 TD, 9 INT
Daniels had one of the best rookie seasons by a QB in league history. He was elite passing and running the football, and he made a lot of great plays in the clutch. The Commanders improved their win total by eight and reached the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1991. Expectations could not be higher for Daniels entering Year 2.
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7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
2024 stats: 3,870 yards, 23 TD, 3 INT
Year 1 with Jim Harbaugh as head coach was a huge success for Justin Herbert and the Chargers. They went 11-6 and made the playoffs. The Chargers ran the ball a lot more in Harbaugh’s offense, but Herbert still put up efficient stats, including a career-low three interceptions.
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8. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
2024 stats: 3,389 yards, 25 TD, 11 INT
Love played well in 2024 overall, but he struggled in an NFC Wild Card loss to the Eagles in which he threw zero touchdowns and three interceptions. The Packers are a playoff-caliber team, but can Love take them to the next level in the NFC?
9. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2024 stats: 4,500 yards, 41 TD, 16 INT
Mayfield has revived his career in Tampa Bay with back-to-back 4,000-yard seasons. He set career highs in passing yards and touchdowns last season in leading the Bucs to an NFC South title. With a loaded WR corps that includes rookies Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson, as well as veterans Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Mayfield should put up more huge numbers in 2025.
10. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
2024 stats: 4,629 yards, 37 TD, 12 INT
Goff has now put together back-to-back seasons of 4,500-plus passing yards and at least 30 touchdowns. The Lions are one of the league’s best teams, but they’re still looking for their first ever Super Bowl appearance. It remains to be seen whether Goff is capable of carrying a team to a Lombardi Trophy. He threw three interceptions in an NFC Divisional Round loss to the Commanders last season.
11. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
2024 stats: 3,727 yards, 20 TD, 12 INT
Stroud’s stats decreased a bit last season compared to his fantastic rookie campaign, but he still played very well and led the Texans to their second straight AFC South title. He also earned his second career playoff victory over Herbert and the Chargers. Can Stroud help the Texans join the AFC’s elite in 2025?
12. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
2024 stats: 3,762 yards, 20 TD, 8 INT
Stafford is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league at age 37. The Rams lost reliable wideout Cooper Kupp in the offseason, but they signed Davante Adams. Adams and Puka Nacua could be a very formidable duo.
13. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
2024 stats: 3,864 yards, 20 TD, 12 INT
Some people don’t think very highly of Purdy and claim he’s a system QB who just puts up good stats because of the elite talent around him. But the 49ers had a lot of injuries to key players at the skill positions last season and he still almost threw for 4,000 yards. He’s a very good quarterback, but the pressure on him is now higher after signing a five-year, $265 million extension in May.
14. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
2024 stats: 4,320 yards, 21 TD, 15 INT
After reviving his career with the Seahawks over the last five seasons, Smith is now tasked with trying to get the Raiders back to the playoffs. For that to happen, Smith will need to cut down on the turnovers. His 15 interceptions in 2024 were his highest total in a season since his rookie year in 2013.
15. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
2024 stats: 1,978 yards, 11 TD, 8 INT
Prescott suffered a hamstring injury in Week 9 that required season-ending surgery. Durability is somewhat of a concern with Prescott. He missed nine games last season, five games in 2022 and 11 games in 2020. But when healthy, Prescott is capable of passing for 4,000-plus yards and at least 30 touchdowns — something he’s done three times in his career.
16. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
2024 stats: 2,867 yards, 19 TD, 7 INT
When healthy, Tagovailoa has the ability to play at an MVP-caliber level, which he showed in 2023. But relying on Tagovailoa to remain healthy for a full season is not wise. He has played only one full 17-game season since being drafted in 2020, and he missed six games in 2024. The Dolphins have a lot of weapons in their offense, including one of the best wide receiver duos in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but none of that matters if Tagovailoa is consistently sidelined due to injury.
17. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
2024 stats: 3,897 yards, 28 TD, 11 INT
The 2024 season didn’t go well for the Jets, and Rodgers had some bad performances. But he still finished eighth in passing yards and was one of eight QBs with at least 28 passing touchdowns. He’s entering his first season with the Steelers, who traded for elite wideout DK Metcalf in the offseason.
18. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
2024 stats: 2,045 yards, 11 TD, 7 INT
Injuries plagued Lawrence in 2024 as he was limited to just 10 games. The Jaguars fired head coach Doug Pederson and replaced him with Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen. They also gave up a lot of assets to move up in the 2025 NFL Draft and take Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick.
The Jaguars aren’t a contender in the AFC, but playing in one of the league’s weakest divisions does give them a slight chance to make the playoffs. Lawrence needs to play at the level of a top 15 QB for that to happen, though.
19. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
2024 stats: 3,775 yards, 29 TD, 12 INT
Nix exceeded expectations last season to help the Broncos reach the playoffs for the first time since their Super Bowl 50 victory in 2015. The University of Oregon product ranked 12th in passing yards and sixth in passing touchdowns. Nix relished late-game situations and didn’t shy away from pressure. It was a very encouraging development for the Broncos, who finally have a potential franchise QB for the first time in 10 years.
20. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
2024 stats: 3,851 yards, 21 TD, 11 INT
Murray did not miss a game last season — his first full campaign since 2020. He played well, but not great, as the Cardinals finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs. He threw one or fewer touchdowns in 13 of 17 games last season.
Murray has shown flashes of MVP potential in the past, but doing it on a consistent basis has proved challenging. Can he find another level and get the Cardinals back in the postseason mix?
21. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
2024 stats: 2,276 yards, 15 TD, 10 INT
Maye played as well as could be expected behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines and arguably the worst receiving corps. The Patriots tried to bolster both position groups in the offseason to help out their young QB. They drafted LSU tackle Will Campbell with the No. 4 overall pick and signed veteran tackle Morgan Moses in free agency. They also signed wide receiver Stefon Diggs and brought back Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator.
Maye has all the physical tools and the leadership ability to be a franchise QB. A significant leap in Year 2 is expected of him next season.
22. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
2024 stats: 2,403 yards, 15 TD, 9 INT
After a rough rookie season and a tough start to 2024, Young looked like a huge draft bust. But a strong second half of last season was very encouraging for the Panthers. Young threw 12 touchdowns with just three interceptions over the final eight games. The Panthers also drafted Arizona wideout Tetairoa McMillan with the No. 8 overall pick in April, giving Young a potential No. 1 option in the passing attack. Carolina has been a bad team for a while, but there is finally hope with Young’s potential starting to be realized.
23. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
2024 stats: 3,541 yards, 20 TD, 6 INT
Caleb Williams had a solid rookie campaign, but he didn’t impress at the level you might expect from a No. 1 overall draft pick. The Bears went into the offseason determined to bolster the offensive line and wide receiver group to help Williams, and they’ve largely succeeded. Chicago traded for guard Joe Thuney, signed center Drew Dalman, signed wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus, drafted tight end Colston Loveland in Round 1 and drafted wideout Luther Burden III in Round 2.
If Williams makes a sophomore leap, the Bears could be in the mix for a wild card playoff spot. But they do play in a very tough NFC North division with three 10-win playoff teams from last season.
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24. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
2024 stats: 4,319 yards, 35 TD, 12 INT
Darnold resurrected his career in Minnesota last season after rookie J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending injury. He set career highs in passing yards and passing touchdowns. His better-than-expected performance was among the main reasons why the Vikings went 14-3 and nearly earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
The Vikings chose to go with McCarthy as the starter, so Darnold went to Seattle in free agency. We’ll find out soon if Darnold is actually a top 15 quarterback or was just a product of a good situation in Minnesota.
25. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
2024 stats: N/A
McCarthy’s rookie season was wiped out due to a knee injury suffered in training camp. He was the No. 10 overall pick in 2024 and expectations are high. The good news for McCarthy is the Vikings have a ton of talent around him. Justin Jefferson is arguably the best wide receiver in the league, and Jordan Addison is a pretty good No. 2. T.J. Hockenson is a reliable tight end as well.
26. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
2024 stats: 775 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
The Falcons benched Kirk Cousins and replaced him with Penix in December. Atlanta surprisingly took Penix with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, and it received a lot of criticism for the selection. Penix will have an opportunity to prove the critics of the Falcons and him wrong next season when he enters as the Week 1 starter. He does have the luxury of top-tier talent at the skill positions, headlined by wide receiver Drake London and running back Bijan Robinson.
27. Russell Wilson, New York Giants
2024 stats: 2,482 yards, 16 TD, 5 INT
Wilson’s stats last season were better than you might have thought, but the eye test wasn’t very impressive. The real question is whether Wilson or rookie first-round pick Jaxson Dart will start Week 1. Throwing Dart into the fire right away is risky.
28. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
2024 stats: 4,313 yards, 39 TD, 7 INT (at Miami-FL in college)
Rookies are always tough to rank on these lists because we haven’t seen them take a snap against NFL competition. Ward’s skill set is impressive, though, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he vaults high up this list the next time we compile it during the season.
29. Justin Fields, New York Jets
2024 stats: 1,106 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT
Fields is getting another chance to start, and it’s one he needs to take advantage of. Luckily for Fields, he has an elite wide receiver in Garrett Wilson to target and a top-tier running back in Breece Hall. Fields’ ability to take off and pick up yards with his legs is impressive. But can he win games through the air? The Jets are hoping he can.
30. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
2024 stats: 1,761 yards, 12 TD, 7 INT
Who’s going to start at QB for the Browns in Week 1? It’s anyone’s guess. There are four contenders — veteran Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett (acquired via trade), and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Flacco has the most experience by far and is the safest option to start Week 1. But it wouldn’t be surprising if Sanders or Gabriel saw the field at some point.
31. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
2024 stats: 1,814 yards, 8 TD, 12 INT
This is a huge season for Richardson. The Colts took him with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 draft, and he has failed to live up to expectations so far. Richardson’s dual-threat ability can cause problems for opposing defenses, but can he take off and run, take huge hits and stay on the field? Injuries have limited Richardson to just 15 games in two seasons. He also has struggled as a passer, completing just 47.7 percent of his attempts in 11 games last season.
32. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
2024 stats: 3,195 yards, 23 TD, 6 INT (at Louisville in college)
Shough was the third quarterback drafted in April, which was a little surprising. He played well at Louisville last season and has a powerful arm. He doesn’t have a ton of mobility and dealt with injuries early in his college career, so it remains to be seen if he’ll be durable enough to play at a high level in the pros.
