![Cam Ward, Giants, NFL Draft, Jets](https://empiresportsmedia.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=858,height=483,fit=crop,quality=80,format=auto,onerror=redirect,metadata=none/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NCAA-Football-Miami-at-Syracuse-24881832.jpg)
Many draft analysts will say that this NFL Draft has an extremely underwhelming quarterback class. While there are two projected top picks, and a few more possible first-round picks, I agree with the take. Here, you will read about a few of this year’s top quarterback options, and an NFL comparison for each of them. Let’s get right into it!
Miami QB Cam Ward
![Cam Ward, Giants, NFL Draft, Jets](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/NCAA-Football-Miami-at-Georgia-Tech-24720085.jpg?resize=539,359)
By a pretty decent amount, Cam Ward out of the University of Miami is my favorite quarterback of the bunch. The best playmaker out of the bunch, Ward has the ability to do a lot on the football field. A couple of knocks on the Miami product are his somewhat erratic throws and his questionable decision-making skills. Along with these flaws, there is a bit of concern with his pure accuracy.
With that being said, there are a bunch of traits that jump off the page with Ward. His creativity and playmaking ability are by far the best in this class, as he knows how to use his legs to free himself up in the pocket. Ward also has a tremendous pocket presence, as many of you have probably seen the ‘nonchalant’ movements behind the line. The most exciting trait for Ward is his playmaking ability, but I feel right behind that is his arm talent.
Pro Comparison: A Lesser Houston Texans Deshaun Watson (Currently Cleveland Browns QB)
![Deshaun Watson, New York Giants](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/USATSI_15236260-539x359.jpg)
The NFL player that stood out to me the most when watching Cam Ward was Deshaun Watson, during his Texans stint. At this time Watson was one of the best quarterbacks in the league, making entertaining plays using his arm and legs all of the time. With that came some bone-head mistakes, but that is going to come with a player archetype similar to Ward. If Ward were to reach his full potential, you could see him being very successful in the league, and he did not even need significant talent around him to do so.
Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders
![Shedeur Sanders, NFL Draft, Giants](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NCAA-Football-Colorado-at-UCLA-21763093.jpg?resize=539,359)
The second-best quarterback prospect in this class is none other than Shedeur Sanders, former NFL Hall of Fame talent Deion Sanders’ son. Although he may not be my favorite quarterback in the class, Sanders from Colorado is still a very talented player. During his final season at Colorado, he led the team to a 9-4 record, with 4134 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
A positive for the talented quarterback is his accuracy, and he is one of the more accurate quarterbacks in the class. He is also an aggressive thrower, who is extremely confident in himself with his throwing abilities. Sanders can also take a hit and get up the next play, as he took PLENTY of sacks during this season. Overall, the former Colorado quarterback has the ability to be a good quarterback in this league. He has the arm to make almost all throws, and also the never-satisfied mentality that makes teams desire him.
But with positives, there are negatives. During this season, like I said, Sanders took an abundance of sacks. And while all of them aren’t his fault, he tends to take a lot of time in the pocket which ultimately leads to him ending up on the turf. Another ‘flaw’ with his game is his pure arm strength, as he doesn’t have the elite arm strength a lot of top picks have. This isn’t what I would call a flaw, but it is something noticeable you can see while evaluating him. Finally, his athletic ability also may not be the best, but similar to his arm strength, it gets the job done. Overall, Shedeur Sanders is a good prospect, but might not be worthy of taking with a top pick in the draft.
Pro Comparison: Seattle Seahawks QB Geno Smith
![Oct 6, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) passes against New York Giants linebacker Brian Burns (0) and linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) during the second quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NFL-New-York-Giants-at-Seattle-Seahawks-24424687.jpg?resize=539,359)
Geno Smith seems to fit the bill pretty well with what Shedeur brings to the table. They both do not have the best athletic ability, and also not the best arm, but seem to always get the job done. Shedeur also brings that competitive mentality to the field, which can be seen in Geno’s game.
Alabama QB Jalen Milroe
![Jalen Milroe, Alabama, Giants, NFL Draft](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/NCAA-Football-Missouri-at-Alabama-24593346.jpg?resize=539,359)
I personally am not completely sure about how I feel about Jalen Milroe coming into the 2025 draft. One on hand, I believe that he has all of the physical tools to be a winning quarterback in the league, and then the other tells me he is not going to compete at a high level. Coming into the 2025 season, Alabama was expected to be a powerhouse, and it did not go according to plan. While still competing at a high enough level, Bama had a record of 9-4, which was a big disappointment for the AP Pre number 5 team. At the helm of this team is quarterback Jalen Milroe, who many either love or hate.
What makes him an intriguing prospect is his arm strength, and his athletic ability, which is more than likely the best in the class. And with having a very gifted, athletic build, he knows exactly how to use it. He is extremely good at evading pressure in the pocket, using his speed and awareness to free himself of defenders. Milroe also knows when to take off and use his legs, as he had 726 rushing yards this past season at Alabama. He also had flashes of good accuracy, which can bring scouts to believe that with coaching, Milroe can become special.
And while he is very physically gifted, especially with his build and speed, Milroe doesn’t have a great processing ability. He is not known to have a good vision of the field, as he goes through his progressions faster than usual, sometimes missing out on plays in favor of his legs. Milroe also has errands throws often, and seems to be a little careless with the ball. This past season, the Bama product had 9 fumbles and 11 interceptions.
Pro Comparison: Pittsburgh Steelers QB Justin Fields
![NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals, new york giants, justin fields](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/NFL-Pittsburgh-Steelers-at-Cincinnati-Bengals-new-york-giants-justin-fields-24888084.jpg?resize=539,359)
This leads me to believe that Jalen Milroe can be similar to Justin Fields in the NFL, but he could have more of an upside. Coming out of the draft, Fields was looking to be a very good prospect. Things never worked out in Chicago, but when he came over to the Steelers for this past season, he looked solid. He may not be the best quarterback, but Fields has proven that he is at the very least a high-caliber backup quarterback in the league. If he were to reach his peak potential, Jalen Milroe could be an extremely talented quarterback. It all depends on who gives the raw talent a chance.
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart
![Jaxson Dart, NFL Draft, Ole Miss, Giants, Jets](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Syndication-Florida-Times-Union-25104517.jpg?resize=539,358)
Getting a lot of hype early in the draft process, pre-combine is Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart. The Rebels’ quarterback led them to a 10-3 record, and Dart was a big reason why they had such a good record. During the 2024 season, Dart finished with 4279 yards, with 29 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. With the 21-year-old receiving much rave recently, let’s dive into him as a prospect.
For this one, we’ll start with his flaws. The first and biggest flaw of Dart’s game is his processing ability. He loves throwing to his first read, and he does so in an inefficient way. Staring down the target, Dart forces the ball into extremely tight holes in the defense, leading to interceptions and deflected passes. Also, he is a bit inconsistent with his throwing form, and tends to change it up a bit when he is under pressure. These are both his biggest cons, and there are for sure others you can find while watching his game. But overall, Dart is a solid quarterback prospect.
Now let’s dive into the pros. Dart is an athlete, and uses his quickness and his arm to get him into the best situations possible. Being an accurate quarterback, Dart seems to find his receivers in stride the majority of his throws, and would fit very well within a timing and anticipation-based offense. A noticeable trait you see while watching his game, is the flair and pure competitiveness that Jaxson Dart plays with. He, at all times, is going to try his hardest to put his team in a position to win. Not turning the ball over at a high rate, and playing sound football are big traits that make him a fascinating prospect.
Pro Comparison: Former Jacksonville Jaguars QB Blake Bortles
![Syndication: Florida Times-Union](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Syndication-Florida-Times-Union-15597289.jpg?resize=539,353)
Blake Bortles is a player who I think fairly represents what Jaxson Dart could become. A very capable quarterback, who at the peak of his career was in the top half of quarterbacks in the league. Many wouldn’t agree with this comparison because of the interceptions, which I would agree with, but if you were to look past that I believe they are very similar prospects. If Dart stays strong with his interception rate, which I believe he will, then he could be looking for a solid NFL career.
Texas QB Quinn Ewers
![Quinn Ewers, Giants, Texas, NFL Draft](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NCAA-Football-Texas-at-Vanderbilt-24592586.jpg?resize=539,359)
This is a bit of a fun one right here, in Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers. A lot of scouts aren’t high on Ewers, and I could see why. But, if Ewers could reach his full potential, which I believe could come to fruition, then Ewers would be worth a draft pick in this upcoming class. Chances are, Ewers won’t be able to play a top-flight quarterback for a team, and many know that before the draft. An opportunity has been granted because of his arm, and below you will see why I am high on the potential of Quinn Ewers.
Ewers likes to throw the ball, and I mean a lot. And, it’s not always to the receiver. Ewers is a very streaky quarterback, who seems almost careless with the ball at times. To go along with his almost careless type attitude when throwing the ball, he doesn’t have a lot of speed on his ball. While he can hit throws all over the field, he can’t zip the ball in as fast as wanted, which can result in more pass breakups as defensive backs can close down easier. Ewers also isn’t a threat on the ground, and while you do have to be aware of his legs, you may be able to drop more guys back instead of worrying as much. And finally, Ewers seems to be very frantic and nervous when the pocket starts to collapse. This can be true with a lot of quarterbacks in college though, and could be corrected in the NFL, which is usual.
You may be thinking, that’s a lot, which honestly it is. But there is just so much untapped potential sitting there with the arm on Ewers. When Ewers is on, he is a truly special player to watch. He has incredible touch on his ball, with great accuracy. Ewers also throws his receivers open, and will go off-script if needed. Also, he has a lot of experience, playing at Texas for the past 3 seasons. And to end it off with him, the Texas product is ready to go, if needed, right away. A truly perfect landing spot for Quinn Ewers would be the New York Jets, especially if they bring back Aaron Rodgers for the 2025 season. This gives Ewers time to learn under one of the greatest of all time, and gives him time to adjust to NFL competition.
Pro Comparison: A Lesser Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB)
![Oct 13, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) celebrates the touchdown reception of Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin (14) during the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images](https://empiresportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NFL-Tampa-Bay-Buccaneers-at-New-Orleans-Saints-24482717.jpg?resize=539,359)
His floor is low, but his ceiling is high. Ewers plays the game very similarly to Baker Mayfield, with a very aggressive mindset when it comes to throwing. If he pans out, Ewers will be a fun talent to watch in the NFL.