Believe it or not, we're less than two weeks away from the NFL Draft. After doing a ton of homework on countless players, I'm finally ready to rank the top 10 of each position in this year's class.
I figured the best place to start is with the most important position on the field, even if the Steelers don't take a quarterback in the first round.
These rankings are based on a combination of the player's talent, potential, likelihood of achieving that potential and fit with the Steelers in terms of need and scheme.
1. CAM WARD, MIAMI (FL)
The biggest playmaker at this position in this draft, with a ton of confidence to boot. In order to realize his full potential at the NFL level, he might have to learn to rein himself in just a touch and clean up some mechanics. But, don't rein too much in. It's part of what makes him special and potentially an All-Pro.
2. SHEDEUR SANDERS, COLORADO
Sanders is perhaps the best pocket quarterback in this class. He's unflappable in the pocket and can make just about any throw, all while having anticipation for those throws and a high football IQ. However, his arm is pretty average for NFL standards and his lack of mobility make it difficult to project him as a special playmaker.
3. JALEN MILROE, ALABAMA
This is the home run swing for any team in the draft. The second Milroe is drafted, he'll become at least a top-three running quarterback in the league. He's got a legitimate, strong NFL arm with a good deep ball. His short accuracy, anticipation and processing all need a ton of development. But, if he hits, he's going to hit big. It's just a substantial risk, and the earlier he's drafted, the higher the risk.
4. TYLER SHOUGH, LOUISVILLE
Probably the most pro-ready quarterback in this class, and at 25 years old and seven college seasons under his belt, he should be. He's got a legitimate NFL arm, plenty of accuracy and his mobility is vastly underrated. However, he's the polar opposite of Sanders. Far too often, he gets rattled under pressure and makes critical mistakes because of it. If he ever figures that out, we're talking about a guy that can be a starter for a long time.
5. JAXSON DART, OLE MISS
The arm talent and athleticism is enticing. If Dart's blessed with a system that focuses on possession and makes him more of a game manager, he stands a better chance to develop into a legitimate NFL quarterback. But, Dart's a first-read quarterback. He also lacks anticipation, bails from clean pockets far too often and he's not a legitimate dual-threat guy that can consistently make plays with his legs to make up for it. He can develop into more, but it's far from a sure thing.
6. WILL HOWARD, OHIO STATE
The intangibles are solid with Howard. He's a great leader and elevated his game when it mattered, leading Ohio State to a national championship with a stellar performance. He's got the ideal size for the position and has a willingness to attack any portion of the field. While he's certainly not a statue, he's not a dual-threat guy and lacks a truly special arm. While his performance in the playoffs elevated his stock, there were too many times prior to that in which he shrunk in big moments. It's for NFL teams to figure out which version of Howard they'd be getting. If they get the playoff version, they're getting a legitimate starter. If not, they're getting a career backup.
7. KYLE MCCORD, SYRACUSE
McCord's the true definition of a gunslinger. He can make some huge plays because of it, but he can make some boneheaded plays, too. That's why, according to Pro Football Focus, he led Power Four conferences in both big-time throws and turnover-worthy plays. If McCord had a special arm, he'd draw comparisons to Ben Roethlisberger. However, he just doesn't have the same type of arm. When drafting a gunslinger, you've gotta make sure they have enough firepower.
8. DILLON GABRIEL, OREGON
There's a lot to like about Gabriel's game. He's a polished quarterback with great accuracy and anticipation from the pocket. His footwork is tremendous, which makes resetting for on-platform throws very effortless. He's also very similar to Sanders, having great pocket presence with the ability to scan the entire field under pressure. The problem is his arm is average and he stands just six feet tall. He's not a supreme athlete like some other successful shorter quarterbacks have been, which limits his ceiling.
9. RILEY LEONARD, NOTRE DAME
At 6-4 and 216 pounds, Leonard has great size for the position, and he's a legitimate dual-threat guy on top of it. Those are hard to find -- a big guy that can do a lot of work on the ground. Josh Allen, anyone? The problem Leonard is far from the passer Allen is, in terms of arm talent, consistency, accuracy, poise under pressure, etc. All of that just makes him a huge gamble, which is why he's best served as a Day 3 option. If he hits, we're talking the same arena as Allen. But, that's a huge, huge gamble.
10. QUINN EWERS, TEXAS
Just based on pure arm talent, I'd put Ewers up with any quarterback in this class. He can spin it, and can do it in a number of ways. The problem is so many other things with his game. His mechanics leads to inconsistent accuracy, his pocket awareness needs improvement, his post-snap reads are lacking and overall play under pressure leaves a lot to be desired.
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THE ASYLUM
Chris Halicke
7:54 pm - 04.13.2025DowntownDraft rankings: Top 10 quarterbacks
Believe it or not, we're less than two weeks away from the NFL Draft. After doing a ton of homework on countless players, I'm finally ready to rank the top 10 of each position in this year's class.
I figured the best place to start is with the most important position on the field, even if the Steelers don't take a quarterback in the first round.
These rankings are based on a combination of the player's talent, potential, likelihood of achieving that potential and fit with the Steelers in terms of need and scheme.
1. CAM WARD, MIAMI (FL)
The biggest playmaker at this position in this draft, with a ton of confidence to boot. In order to realize his full potential at the NFL level, he might have to learn to rein himself in just a touch and clean up some mechanics. But, don't rein too much in. It's part of what makes him special and potentially an All-Pro.
2. SHEDEUR SANDERS, COLORADO
Sanders is perhaps the best pocket quarterback in this class. He's unflappable in the pocket and can make just about any throw, all while having anticipation for those throws and a high football IQ. However, his arm is pretty average for NFL standards and his lack of mobility make it difficult to project him as a special playmaker.
3. JALEN MILROE, ALABAMA
This is the home run swing for any team in the draft. The second Milroe is drafted, he'll become at least a top-three running quarterback in the league. He's got a legitimate, strong NFL arm with a good deep ball. His short accuracy, anticipation and processing all need a ton of development. But, if he hits, he's going to hit big. It's just a substantial risk, and the earlier he's drafted, the higher the risk.
4. TYLER SHOUGH, LOUISVILLE
Probably the most pro-ready quarterback in this class, and at 25 years old and seven college seasons under his belt, he should be. He's got a legitimate NFL arm, plenty of accuracy and his mobility is vastly underrated. However, he's the polar opposite of Sanders. Far too often, he gets rattled under pressure and makes critical mistakes because of it. If he ever figures that out, we're talking about a guy that can be a starter for a long time.
5. JAXSON DART, OLE MISS
The arm talent and athleticism is enticing. If Dart's blessed with a system that focuses on possession and makes him more of a game manager, he stands a better chance to develop into a legitimate NFL quarterback. But, Dart's a first-read quarterback. He also lacks anticipation, bails from clean pockets far too often and he's not a legitimate dual-threat guy that can consistently make plays with his legs to make up for it. He can develop into more, but it's far from a sure thing.
6. WILL HOWARD, OHIO STATE
The intangibles are solid with Howard. He's a great leader and elevated his game when it mattered, leading Ohio State to a national championship with a stellar performance. He's got the ideal size for the position and has a willingness to attack any portion of the field. While he's certainly not a statue, he's not a dual-threat guy and lacks a truly special arm. While his performance in the playoffs elevated his stock, there were too many times prior to that in which he shrunk in big moments. It's for NFL teams to figure out which version of Howard they'd be getting. If they get the playoff version, they're getting a legitimate starter. If not, they're getting a career backup.
7. KYLE MCCORD, SYRACUSE
McCord's the true definition of a gunslinger. He can make some huge plays because of it, but he can make some boneheaded plays, too. That's why, according to Pro Football Focus, he led Power Four conferences in both big-time throws and turnover-worthy plays. If McCord had a special arm, he'd draw comparisons to Ben Roethlisberger. However, he just doesn't have the same type of arm. When drafting a gunslinger, you've gotta make sure they have enough firepower.
8. DILLON GABRIEL, OREGON
There's a lot to like about Gabriel's game. He's a polished quarterback with great accuracy and anticipation from the pocket. His footwork is tremendous, which makes resetting for on-platform throws very effortless. He's also very similar to Sanders, having great pocket presence with the ability to scan the entire field under pressure. The problem is his arm is average and he stands just six feet tall. He's not a supreme athlete like some other successful shorter quarterbacks have been, which limits his ceiling.
9. RILEY LEONARD, NOTRE DAME
At 6-4 and 216 pounds, Leonard has great size for the position, and he's a legitimate dual-threat guy on top of it. Those are hard to find -- a big guy that can do a lot of work on the ground. Josh Allen, anyone? The problem Leonard is far from the passer Allen is, in terms of arm talent, consistency, accuracy, poise under pressure, etc. All of that just makes him a huge gamble, which is why he's best served as a Day 3 option. If he hits, we're talking the same arena as Allen. But, that's a huge, huge gamble.
10. QUINN EWERS, TEXAS
Just based on pure arm talent, I'd put Ewers up with any quarterback in this class. He can spin it, and can do it in a number of ways. The problem is so many other things with his game. His mechanics leads to inconsistent accuracy, his pocket awareness needs improvement, his post-snap reads are lacking and overall play under pressure leaves a lot to be desired.
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