Phil Steele: Top 25 QBs for 2025 NFL Draft ahead of 2024 college football season

Posted by Admin June 25, 2024 NFL

This year’s most recent NFL Draft was highlighted by the quarterback position, with six passers selected in the first round to tie a record. All of which were selected within the top 12 picks and were joined by five more quarterbacks selected outside of the first round.

Ahead of next year’s 2025 NFL Draft, some evaluators are not as bullish on the upcoming quarterback class. But during the 2024 college football season there will plenty of opportunities for QBs to increase their draft stock and hear their name called in Green Bay next year.

College football prognosticator Phil Steele recently revealed his annual college football preview ahead of the upcoming season. Also unveiling his rankings for the top quarterback prospects for the 2025 draft ahead of the 2024 college football season. Check out Steele’s top 25 quarterback prospects below.

Matt Pendleton(Gainesville Sun)-USA TODAY NETWORK

Most view Georgia quarterback Carson Beck as the consensus top quarterback in college football and one of the best overall players in the country ahead of the 2024 season. Breaking out in 2023 after taking over the offense after two-time national champion Stetson Bennett.

Beck wasn’t able to lead the Bulldogs to the same playoff success Bennett achieved, but he still lit up the SEC in his first season as a starter. With even more room to improve in year two after throwing for 3,941 yards (first in the SEC, third in the nation) and 24 touchdowns last season with just six interceptions and the country’s fourth-best completion percentage at 72.4%.

Dart had his best season to date last year in his second year with the Rebels after transferring in from USC. Throwing for 3,364 yards and 23 touchdowns which both represent career-highs from the Utah native.

Another season in head coach Lane Kiffin‘s high-tempo, high-scoring offense could give Dart the potential to climb up mock draft boards during the 2024 season. With Ole Miss also returning a ton of Dart’s offensive weapons and slew of new talent through the transfer portal highlighted former South Carolina wideout Juice Wells.

Shedeur Sanders made a seamless jump from the FCS level to the FBS after spending the first two seasons of his college career at Jackson State. But now he’ll be tasked with making the jump from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 as Colorado switches conferences.

Sanders threw for an impressive 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns, and just three interceptions last season all while being the most sacked quarterback in college football (sacked 52 times). With his talent paired with better protection giving him the potential to be the top quarterback selected next April.

Drew Allar has just one college season as a starter under his belt and won’t turn 21 until a month before the 2025 NFL Draft. But there’s no question he has all the talent and tools to be a top quarterback prospect.

At 6-foot-5, 243 pounds Allar has the ideal size at the position to be a pro. And throwing for 2,631 yards, 25 touchdowns, just two interceptions, and also rushing for four scores in his first season as a starter is certainly an excellent foundation for him moving forward.

Jalen Milroe has the physical tools that NFL general managers dream of having for their franchise quarterback. Proving himself to be the most prolific dual-threat quarterback returning to college football next season after throwing for 23 touchdowns and rushing for 12 scores last season.

There are still areas of Milroe’s game he’ll need to clean up ahead of his career in the NFL. But his rushing ability, arm strength, and overall athleticism paired with a new offensive mind in Kalen DeBoer at Alabama will make him one of the most fascinating overall prospects of the upcoming draft.

Aaron E. Martinez(American-Statesman)-USA TODAY NETWORK

Many view Quinn Ewers as at least a top-three quarterback heading into the upcoming college football season. But as an NFL prospect, Steele is a little bit more down on Ewers after he was regarded as the top high school quarterback in the nation for the 2021 class.

Ewers enters his third season as a starter for Texas and is undoubtedly one of the best raw passing talents across all of college football. With yet another year of improvement now in the SEC potentially doing wonders for his draft stock after leading the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff last year.

Conner Weigman is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the country who has gone under the radar this offseason. Making four starts as true freshman and four as a sophomore last year before suffering from a season-ending injury.

In his nine total game appearances for the Aggies, Weigman has thrown for 1,875 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. Showing flashes of major NFL potential like when he became the first A&M quarterback since Johnny Manziel in 2013 to throw five touchdown passes in regulation of a game during last year’s season opener.

Cam Ward was thinking about declaring for the most recent NFL Draft before deciding to transfer to Miami for the final season of his college career. Entering the 2024 season as one of the most experienced quarterbacks in college football after spending time at Incarnate Word and Washington State.

Ward has made 44 starts in his college career, throwing for a whopping 13,874 yards and 119 touchdowns. As he’ll look to bring the Hurricanes back to the national spotlight and himself to the first round selection conversation this upcoming season.

Kyle McCord is another quarterback who changed his scenery this offseason. Transferring to Syracuse closer to his home state of New Jersey after just one year as a starter at Ohio State.

McCord threw for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdown passes last season, helping lead the Buckeyes to a 11-1 record last season. But now his offense will look a lot different from a talent and personnel standpoint under first-year head coach Fran Brown.

Moss rounds out Steele’s top 10 with far and away the least experience of any quarterback in the top 20. Receiving his first career start in USC’s Holiday Bowl win over Louisville to conclude the 2023 season.

In that matchup Moss shined, throwing for 372 yards and six touchdown passes to take home the offensive MVP award for the game. And given head coach Lincoln Riley‘s experience at producing Heisman Trophy-winning, No. 1 overall pick quarterbacks, maybe Moss will be the next in line.