USA Today's Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz sees only Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward as first-round-caliber NFL draft QBs in the 2025 class -- specifically name-dropping Carson Beck and Quinn Ewers as QBs who played their way out of the first round.
"The uncertainty starts with the quarterbacks, with only two passers – Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward – truly establishing themselves as worthy of first-round consideration, while several other previous candidates – including Georgia's Carson Beck and Texas' Quinn Ewers – have seemingly faded a bit. A similar dynamic is in place for many other positions, with a shortage of surefire top-10 selections. And the top of the order still looks volatile, with 11 teams having either two or three wins," Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote.
Middlehurst-Schwartz projected Sanders to go No. 2 overall to the New York Giants and Ward to go No. 5 to the Las Vegas Raiders. Given the Raiders' interest in Shedeur, Middlehurst-Schwartz may have that backward.
"Tom Brady's going to be influential with the Raiders," Keiper prefaced on ESPN's First Draft before saying, "The Raiders thought they were going to get a QB last year picking with the 13th. They didn't get Michael Penix Jr. who they targeted. They sat where they were and they were all gone."
Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward elevating their teams in ways other QBs aren't
Without question, Colorado and Miami aren't anywhere close to the College Football Playoff without QBs as good as Shedeur and Ward. Texas and Georgia, meanwhile, aren't even locks to make it at this point with how competitive the SEC is in 2024.
Shedeur and Ward are undoubtedly in their own class. While other QBs are keeping their teams stagnant or holding them back, the "Grown QB" and The U's Heisman candidate are playing like future NFL cornerstones.