It’s that time again. Dynasty rookie fever SZN is here. The 2025 NFL Draft is in the rearview, and rookie drafts will start flying daily. Before you dive head-first into our fantasy football mock draft simulator and run 3,000 rookie drafts in preparation, please read up on this talented prospect class as I roll through my positional primers. You can find each of them in our 2025 Dynasty Draft Kit.
Check out our expert consensus dynasty rookie draft rankings as you prepare for your leagues. Here is our dynasty rookie draft primer for quarterbacks, including my rankings and tiers, stats, 2025 NFL Draft scouting reports, player comps, and dynasty draft outlook.
- DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Primers: RB | WR | TE
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings
Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings & Tiers: Quarterbacks
Let’s dive into my dynasty rookie draft primer, examining the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Tier 1
Well, it happened. Jaxson Dart got first-round NFL draft capital. In the end, only Dart and Cam Ward walk away with first-round draft capital, and they stand alone in their own tier in this rookie draft class. I know Ward was selected as the first overall pick, and Dart didn’t arrive in New York until the 25th selection, but Dart is now my QB1 for this class. I have had him above Ward during the entire NFL draft cycle. I love his combination of arm talent and rushing upside. He’s currently the 1.07 in our Superflex rookie ECR. Dart should be a locked-in first-round rookie draft pick. The conversation for me with Dart begins at the 1.05. In 1QB, the Dart conversation begins in the early second round of rookie drafts. I expect to see him start games sometime during the 2025 season. Russell Wilson’s play and Dart’s progression in training camp and the preseason will determine how early that is.
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 2nd
- Adjusted completion rate: 11th
- Yards per attempt: 1st
- Big-time throw rate: 8th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 26th
- Deep throw rate: 9th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 66th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 10th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 1st
- 2023 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 9th
- Adjusted completion rate: 36th
- Yards per attempt: 8th
- Big-time throw rate: 39th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 50th
- Deep throw rate: 70th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 61st
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 35th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 9th
- 2022 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 44th
- Adjusted completion rate: 83rd
- Yards per attempt: 34th
- Big-time throw rate: 15th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 93rd
- Deep throw rate: 40th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 99th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 57th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 26th
Scouting Report:
- Jaxson Dart has the arm strength to make every NFL throw. He has a “strong enough arm” but doesn’t have a cannon. He relies upon ball placement with his throws, but he can zip it in the short/intermediate areas of the field. Dart made a living in 2024 by hitting his receivers with bucket shots on the perimeter on go balls and deep outs.
- Dart moves through progressions fairly well. He accesses the middle of the field plenty and can get to his tertiary options plenty. Dart also has no issues expecting his first read to win 50/50 balls and exhibiting that type of trust he’ll need in the NFL when his receivers are “NFL open” on plenty of plays.
- Dart flashes impressive ball placement on a ton of throws. He isn’t perfect, though, as the ball can sail on him when he reaches back for that extra oomph for his fastball. It’s not a consistent issue, though. Dart will also make anticipatory throws instead of waiting for his receivers to uncover.
- Dart is calm and collected in the pocket. He will boot when he feels pressure and navigating a muddy pocket isn’t viable. He will also hang in the pocket when needed to deliver an accurate pass. There are plenty of plays where he stands tall in the pocket and gets smacked at the end of the play. Dart will also utilize pump fakes and subtle movements to manipulate corners in coverage.
- Dart likely has 4.7 40-speed. I don’t see him as a quarterback who derives a lot of his value from his rushing ability in the NFL. Can he scramble successfully and create with his legs? Yes. Will he be a quarterback for whom an offensive coordinator draws up a handful of quarterback runs weekly? I doubt it, but he can still add value by scrambling and creating with his legs.
Player Comp: Dollar store brand Jalen Hurts
There was no surprise at the top of the draft. No, last-minute shifting of the pick or drama. Tennessee zeroed in on Cam Ward, and he’s now the face of the franchise moving forward. Ward walks the highwire from down to down. There are plenty of high-end moments and special plays, but Ward also has plenty of misfires and can run through cold stretches in games. If he hits his ceiling, he could be a franchise-changing player who becomes a yearly QB1. This cements him as a top-six pick in Superflex dynasty rookie drafts and as a mid-second-round pick in 1QB formats at the latest. The big worries for Ward entering year one are the lack of proven or high-end receiving talent outside of Calvin Ridley and this new-look offensive line. Without rushing upside to pad his fantasy stats weekly, can Ward produce enough with his arm, with Ridley leading the way to be a steady fantasy quarterback in his rookie season? We’ll see, but I’m skeptical. Selecting Ward in rookie drafts comes with immediate production from Week 1 and a floor of QB2 production. He’s an upside swing that might not consistently flash that upside until 2026.
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 2nd
- Adjusted completion rate: 16th
- Yards per attempt: 4th
- Big-time throw rate: 12th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 15th
- Deep throw rate: 48th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 22nd
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 32nd
- Clean pocket passer rating: 2nd
Scouting Report:
- When Cam Ward is locked in, he looks like a Pro Bowl-level/difference-making quarterback. He has a rocket arm with easy velocity. He can reach back and chuck it through a brick wall. Ward likely enters the NFL immediately knocking on the door of the top 12 ranks for strongest arm in the league.
- When Ward is on, he is lacing well-timed ropes to every level of a defense. He has some of the prettiest layered second-level and deep throws you’ll see. His high-end flashes are exquisite, with on-the-money ball placement and the velocity to fit it in any tight window. Ward has a quick release and can access multiple arm angles.
- The problem is his accuracy can be erratic. There are plenty of times when he needs to take something off the fastball in the short and intermediate areas of the field. Ward’s ball placement can be erratic. There are plenty of throws where he tosses it at a receiver’s back shoulder when he should have led them further down the field or a crosser or out route will be out of the reach of his receiver. Ward will also sail throws at times as he tries to fastball it to a receiver. He has to improve his down-to-down consistency and accuracy to reach his ceiling.
- Ward is also inconsistent with moving through his progressions. There are plenty of reps where he moves seamlessly to his third option or check down. He also has several plays where he feels a tick behind and misses an open receiver running across the field. Some of this is tied to his aggressive nature. Ward will take what a defense gives him with underneath routes, but he is also always a big-play hunter. This aggression is nice when he is dialed in, but it can also get him into trouble and impact his field vision. Ward plays with a swagger and has obvious confidence he can fit throws into any small window.
- He is a creative player who can craft some off-script wizardry. Ward will stand tall, cool and collected in the face of pressure. When he is locked in, he never looks rattled against pressure. When he is off and missing throws, things can pile up for him. This all goes back to the need for his play-to-play consistency floor, which needs to be raised.
- Ward has short-area agility that allows him to move well in the pocket. He will primarily be a pocket passer in the NFL, but he can take off and gain some yards with his legs if needed. Ward shouldn’t be considered a rushing quarterback or hyper mobile.
Player Comp: Jordan Love
Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Tier 2
With Derek Carr retiring, the pick of Shough inside the top 50 in the NFL Draft makes more sense. He will compete in camp to be the Saints’ Week 1 starter, and I’d even call him the favorite to land the job, considering what we have seen (or have not seen) from the other players in that room. If we assume that he’s the Saints’ starter for 2025, he has immediate QB2 appeal for Superflex squads. If Shough can play well enough this upcoming season, it’s not insane to think that he could be the team’s long-term starter, although I’m highly skeptical, and I think it’s best to view his starting window as maybe only one year. Last year, he was sixth in passing grade, but he ranked outside the top 20 quarterbacks in adjusted completion rate (30th), yards per attempt (24th), big-time throw rate (35th), and deep ball adjusted completion rate (72nd, per PFF). Shough is in play in the second round/early-third round of dynasty rookie drafts.
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 6th
- Adjusted completion rate: 30th
- Yards per attempt: 24th
- Big-time throw rate: 35th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 72nd
- Deep throw rate: 69th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 63rd
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 17th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 15th
Scouting Report:
- Tyler Shough had his 2021 (broken collarbone) and 2023 (shoulder injury) seasons cut short because of injuries.
- Shough is a tall pocket passer. He has enough mobility to create out of structure, but I wouldn’t consider him a “mobile” quarterback. He isn’t a statue, either.
- Shough has the arm strength to make every NFL throw. He can throw from multiple arm angles and his film includes some mouthwatering off-platform throws. I do need to add some context after saying that. His accuracy can wane when on the move or when pressured. If he can improve his consistency with off-platform throws, especially when booting, it will go a long way for his overall play.
- Shough has a nice deep ball, but he will short-arm some, which will leave his wide receivers waiting. There are plenty of nice deep balls on tape that he drops in the bucket with his receiver in stride. He does need to add some arch to some throws that he’ll toss on a line.
- When under pressure, Shough’s footwork can lapse. He will chuck some throws from his back foot and with his base off kilter. At times, his internal clock can also feel a second behind. Overall, he does a decent job navigating pressure by hanging tight in the pocket, stepping up in the pocket as it collapses or rolling out to allude pass rushers.
- Shough can lace some nice second-level layered throws from multiple arm angles. This includes throws into tight windows. He has a gunslinger mentality at times. I’d rather a quarterback be willing to embrace risk versus be risk averse, but he sometimes writes checks his arm has a tough time cashing. Some throws in his film would have been picked off in the NFL or college if the cornerback he faced was slightly better.
Player Comp: More mobile Davis Mills
Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Tier 3
I’m not going to discuss Sanders’ fall in the NFL Draft, but it happened, and now the big question is, “How do we react in Dynasty rookie drafts?” Sanders is now a lottery ticket late second-round/early third-round rookie draft pick. He could shine in camp and the preseason and run away with the Browns’ starting job or, at the very least, push Joe Flacco and ascend to the QB2 spot. He could be starting at some point this season in Cleveland, or he could sit all year as a backup, who is buried on the depth chart as the team’s QB3. There’s a wide range of outcomes here, and it depends on how he performs, how others perform around him, and if the Browns make this “truly” an open competition for the starting throne. Sanders has the talent to make some noise on the football field in Cleveland. Last year, he ranked third in passing grade, fourth in adjusted completion rate, 12th in yards per attempt, and 18th in deep ball adjusted completion rate (per PFF).
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 3rd
- Adjusted completion rate: 4th
- Yards per attempt: 12th
- Big-time throw rate: 39th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 18th
- Deep throw rate: 63rd
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 17th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 2nd
- Clean pocket passer rating: 8th
- 2023 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 8th
- Adjusted completion rate: 8th
- Yards per attempt: 66th
- Big-time throw rate: 46th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 57th
- Deep throw rate: 111th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 17th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 5th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 18th
Scouting Report:
- Shedeur Sanders’ mechanics are so smooth. He arrives in the NFL with solid and efficient footwork, a lightning-fast release and an easily repeatable throwing motion. Sanders isn’t a hyper-mobile quarterback, but his pocket movement and escapability are impressive. He will slide in the pocket and spin out of incoming rushers and then he will quickly reset his base with his eyes locked downfield.
- Sanders will hold the ball at times, and this will be a talking point during the draft cycle, but let’s provide some context regarding this. Last year, he had the 23rd-highest time to throw among all FBS quarterbacks with at least 150 dropbacks. Does Sanders have moments where he should get rid of the ball quicker/on time? Sure, they are there, but it’s not consistent and isn’t a problem. Overall, Sanders does a good job feeling the rush and playing from the pocket on time. The offensive line for Colorado was rough (2024: 51st in pass blocking grade), routinely allowing quick pressure and free rushers in Sanders’ face. Sanders was forced to use his escapability and superb footwork to elude defenders and extend plays far too often. This fact will naturally increase Sanders’ time to throw. The better barometer for his play in this regard is the fact his pressure-to-sack ratio was 20.2% or lower in three of his four collegiate seasons.
- He doesn’t have a cannon for an arm, but Sanders has plenty of arm strength to make every throw an NFL offense will need. His accuracy and ball placement are his superpowers. He layers some very nice throws into the second level and beyond, opting for dialing down the velocity, as he instead prioritizes ball placement. Sanders routinely puts the ball where only his receivers can get it. He routinely throws his receivers open and laces deep passes into tight windows. Sanders has no issues standing tall in the pocket and taking a big hit to deliver an accurate ball to his receiver.
- Sanders’ high football IQ shows up consistently in the film. He will move up in the pocket and threaten to take off running to freeze linebackers as his wide receivers come open. He is also patient and will wait for his receivers to clear defenders on crossing routes as he waits for a second window to open up.
- The Colorado offense was screen-heavy and utilized a lot of quick passing, but this could have easily been a result of the state of their offensive line. Sanders is an intelligent player. His film is littered with him moving through progressions quickly and moving defenders with his eyes. I don’t have a high level of concern with him going through full-field reads in the NFL.
- Sanders can scramble when needed, but I don’t consider him to be a rushing threat in the NFL. He will be a pocket passer who can buy time with his legs and pick up the occasional chunk yardage on the ground if the defense falls asleep or a play breaks down.
Player Comp: Brock Purdy
The former Crimson Tide dual-threat signal caller fell to the third round of the NFL Draft despite drawing some late first-round buzz close to the draft. The Seattle Seahawks stopped his tumble by punching his card with the 28th pick of round three. Milroe slots in as Seattle’s backup quarterback right now behind Sam Darnold, who has two years of strong money in his newly minted contract. Darnold will need to falter for Milroe to get on the field in the next two years as the team’s starter. His draft capital automatically makes him an outlier if he becomes a multi-year starter for Seattle. The rushing upside of Milroe, if he gets the starting opportunity, is enticing, but his skills as a passer are frightening. In his final collegiate season at Alabama, Milroe ranked 60th in adjusted completion rate, 36th in big-time throw rate, and 66th in adjusted completion rate from a clean pocket (per PFF). Milroe will go before I’m willing to take him in most Superflex rookie drafts. It feels more like burning a rookie draft pick than a well-composed dart throw. He’s a viable late second-round draft pick if you want to take the plunge, but I’m not drafting him until the late third round.
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 38th
- Adjusted completion rate: 60th
- Yards per attempt: 11th
- Big-time throw rate: 36th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 40th
- Deep throw rate: 35th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 47th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 66th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 75th
- 2023 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 34th
- Adjusted completion rate: 53rd
- Yards per attempt: 3rd
- Big-time throw rate: 2nd
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 15th
- Deep throw rate: 13th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 29th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 78th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 10th
Scouting Report:
- Jalen Milroe has plenty of arm strength to make every necessary throw. The problem isn’t velocity for Milroe; it’s ball placement. His accuracy is erratic at every level. He has some nice throws on film while on the move, but there are also plenty of head-scratchers.
- Milroe also throws a flat ball to the second level. It’s rare to see him lace a layered throw to the second level of a defense. Most throws are delivered on a line. He’ll have to develop this part of his game to consistently have success against zone defenses in the NFL.
- Milroe is a “see it, throw it” quarterback. He isn’t an anticipatory thrower of the football. I anticipate him having issues with receivers being “NFL open” at the next level unless he operates in a scheme with plenty of designed looks and easy reads.
- His internal clock is a second slow. He doesn’t get through his progressions quickly and often gets hung up on his first read. Milroe’s field vision is sub-par. He misses too many receivers breaking open, especially across the middle of the field. This is also true in a scramble drill, though, as Milroe hyper-focuses on one receiving option or drops his eyes immediately.
- Milroe will exhibit quiet feet in the pocket at times and deliver some accurate passes in the face of pressure, but those reps are dwarfed by the times he bails clean pockets. Milroe needs to keep his eyes downfield more. Many times, at the first sniff of pressure, he immediately flips the switch to runner and forgoes his receiving options. He attempts to answer too many problems defenses present for him with his legs.
- Milroe has 4.5 speed as a straight line/linear runner. He can make subtle changes of direction, but he can get himself into trouble when attempting to string together multiple moves. He’s at his best when getting downhill and turning on the jets, as he isn’t a quick twitch rusher. He’s also not the most physical ball carrier. Last year, among 80 qualifying quarterbacks, Milroe ranked 33rd in yards after contact per attempt and 23rd in elusive rating, per Pro Football Focus (PFF).
Player Comp: Tarvaris Jackson
The diminutive former Oregon Duck heads to the Cleveland Browns after being selected in the third round of the NFL Draft. He’ll join Shedeur Sanders in the quarterback meetings alongside Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Gabriel was an accurate college quarterback, but the Oregon offensive system did him a lot of favors. Last year, he ranked eighth in passing grade, third in adjusted completion rate, and 14th in yards per attempt, but when we look deeper, the numbers get concerning. He was also 103rd in big-time throw rate and 132nd in deep throw rate. He wasn’t asked to do much outside of present catchable targets for his receivers and operate the offense, which he did at a high level. Gabriel is a fourth-round selection in Superflex rookie drafts that I’ll likely be avoiding. If he finds multi-year starting status for Cleveland, he’ll be an outlier on a number of levels.
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 8th
- Adjusted completion rate: 3rd
- Yards per attempt: 14th
- Big-time throw rate: 103rd
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 3rd
- Deep throw rate: 132nd
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 20th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 5th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 11th
- 2023 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 5th
- Adjusted completion rate: 9th
- Yards per attempt: 5th
- Big-time throw rate: 39th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 13th
- Deep throw rate: 77th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 8th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 14th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 6th
- 2022 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 23rd
- Adjusted completion rate: 62nd
- Yards per attempt: 21st
- Big-time throw rate: 36th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 54th
- Deep throw rate: 50th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 125th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 55th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 22nd
Scouting Report:
- Dillon Gabriel enjoyed plenty of schemed-up production at Oregon. In his final collegiate season, he was sixth in screen attempts and fourth in screen passing yards, per PFF). A whopping 66% of his passes were within nine yards of the line of scrimmage. The offense revolves around quick first-read passing plays and screens.
- When Gabriel has to move past his first read, things can get interesting (not in a good way). Many times, the play design is blown as he tends to hang on to his first read for too long. When he is forced off his first read, his internal clock seems a tick slow.
- Gabriel dirts a ton of plays when his first read is covered. There’s something to be said for giving up on a doomed play. Protecting the ball and having a “live to fight another day” mentality is fine, but there are also moments when he has an open receiver he doesn’t see or is unwilling to get out of structure.
- His overall accuracy in the short and intermediate areas of the field is decent, but he sails some throws and dirts others. This happens when pressured and from a clean pocket.
- The area of Gabriel’s game that jumps out is his deep ball accuracy. He was top-13 in deep ball adjusted completion rate in each of the last two years. He has plenty of pretty go balls dropped in the bucket, littering his tape. This is an area of his game that wasn’t highlighted nearly enough in his final two collegiate seasons.
Player Comp: Seneca Wallace
Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings: Tier 4
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Howard in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. With that type of draft capital, if he hits as a multi-year starter, he’ll be a massive outlier. I don’t usually go chasing late-day three picks in the NFL Draft at the quarterback position, especially those of the pocket passing variety. Stash him on your taxi squad in Superflex leagues if you have the space, but he’s not a priority add. Last year, Howard ranked ninth in passing grade, seventh in adjusted completion rate, and fourth in yards per attempt (per PFF).
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 9th
- Adjusted completion rate: 7th
- Yards per attempt: 4th
- Big-time throw rate: 39th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 1st
- Deep throw rate: 126th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 8th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 13th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 3rd
Scouting Report:
- Will Howard has a strong arm but not elite arm strength. He is at his best when peppering the defense with strikes in the 10-20-yard range. Howard is extremely comfortable utilizing the middle of the field and firing lasers down the seam. He has some pretty ball placement on seam-stretching throws. Howard’s deep ball is lofty and can leave receivers waiting on it at times. His ball placement can also be spotty downfield.
- Howard has solid ball placement overall with the ability to layer some nice shots into the second level of defenses. His footwork can lapse at times when pressured and in clean pockets, leaving him to sail some throws or force his wide receivers to adjust to high throws. This happens with short and intermediate throws or when he reaches back for that last bit of fastball to fit a throw in.
- Howard will need to prove in the NFL he can move through progressions routinely. This could be an Ohio State issue (with offensive design) or a shortcoming for Howard, but he religiously locks onto his first read. He will force the ball to his first read even if they are covered and rarely gets to his second read. With the majority of plays, Howard will force the ball to the first read or hit the check down. He rarely gets to the second or third option in a passing play.
- Howard is a pocket passer, but his footwork is good enough to fuel some solid escapability in the pocket. He does a solid job navigating pressure in the pocket and can buy time with his legs if needed.
Player Comp: Brad Johnson
The Colts selected Leonard in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. Indy at least seems to have a type when it comes to selecting quarterbacks (Hello: Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones). These days, they seem to covet mobile and inaccurate signal callers. The rushing upside with Leonard is enticing, but the draft capital and accuracy issues are damning. I’ll let others waste a roster spot for the 2025 season on Leonard before likely cutting him from their squads after the season. Last year, Leonard ranked outside the top 45 quarterbacks in FBS in passing grade, yards per attempt, and big-time throw rate (per PFF).
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 47th
- Adjusted completion rate: 10th
- Yards per attempt: 93rd
- Big-time throw rate: 60th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 21st
- Deep throw rate: 132nd
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 36th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 12th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 40th
Scouting Report:
- Riley Leonard’s athleticism and rushing ability jump out immediately. He has the size and physical strength to be a goal-line option in the NFL. He isn’t a quick twitch runner, but he has enough speed to outrun linebackers and enough bend and wiggle to make defenders miss in the open field. He had 906 rushing yards (4.9 yards per carry) and 17 rushing scores in his final season.
- Leonard has plenty of arm strength. He has some nice second-level throws where he’ll uncork the fastball for a nice strike. Unfortunately, those throws are the norm. His accuracy can be erratic. He’ll have throws at all three levels that sail on him or turn into ankle-biters for no reason as Leonard sits in a clean pocket.
- When Leonard is in rhythm, his accuracy is more middling than pinpoint. There are plenty of balls where his receivers save his bacon as they deal with a target behind them or above their heads.
- He will get stuck on his first read. If his first read is covered, he’ll force plenty of balls to the first read anyway or take off running, using his legs to solve the equation. Leonard doesn’t trust his eyes at times, especially if his first read is gone. There are some plays where you want to see him grip it and rip it, but he pats the ball like he’s burping a baby.
Player Comp: If Josh Allen had the arm of Blake Bortles and the decision-making of Daniel Jones
The Eagles selected the heavy-footed pocket passer out of Syracuse in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. McCord will compete with Doran Thompson-Robinson for the QB3 job in camp. Even if he wins that battle, McCord is best left on waiver wires. I’m not investing a dynasty roster spot in a pocket passer who didn’t get sizable draft capital or have even a discernable path to a possible starting job in the next two seasons.
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 7th
- Adjusted completion rate: 29th
- Yards per attempt: 31st
- Big-time throw rate: 22nd
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 4th
- Deep throw rate: 99th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 2nd
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 79th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 40th
- 2023 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 44th
- Adjusted completion rate: 48th
- Yards per attempt: 11th
- Big-time throw rate: 50th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 6th
- Deep throw rate: 103rd
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 116th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 39th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 7th
Scouting Report: (From 2023 All-22 film)
- Kyle McCord is a game manager who drowns underneath routes in targets. He has a quick release and is accurate in the short and intermediate areas of the field. McCord is at his best when he grips and rips as soon (or shortly after) his back foot hits and is secure in the pocket.
- McCord will be a backup in the NFL and could be a decent point guard-type game manager if called upon to start.
- He has decent arm strength, but his arm limitations can be seen downfield. He needs max torque to zip it deep. In the process of ramping up the revolutions per minute (RPM), he has to sacrifice touch on deep targets.
- McCord doesn’t handle pressure well. His heavy feet show up once pressure is applied. McCord isn’t going to run away or escape many defenders once they get into the backfield.
- He religiously forces the ball to his first read. There are plenty of plays littering his film where the first read is covered, but McCord chucks the ball to the receiver anyway. This happens at times even when they are double-covered, making McCord look like he is playing quarterback with a blindfold on.
Player Comp: Trevor Siemian
The 49ers drafted Rourke in the seventh round. I don’t have much interest in the pocket passer. His numbers last year were decent, as he ranked fourth in passing grade and seventh in yards per attempt, but his accuracy numbers are lagging in some areas, sitting at 37th in adjusted completion rate and 24th in big-time throw rate (per PFF). If I take a shot at who could win the 49ers’ QB3 battle, it’ll be Tanner Mordecai.
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 4th
- Adjusted completion rate: 37th
- Yards per attempt: 7th
- Big-time throw rate: 24th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 24th
- Deep throw rate: 55th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 2nd
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 79th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 40th
Scouting Report:
- Rourke is a tall (heavy-footed) pocket passer and rhythm thrower. He has the arm strength to make all the throws required in the NFL while not having a top-shelf arm.
- When the picture is clear, and he has a clean pocket, he can sling it and look like a starting NFL-caliber quarterback. The problem is the more you watch him, the cracks in the pavement begin to show.
- Rourke’s trigger is a tad slow. He can get through progressions, but he’ll get hung up at times coming off his first read. He also doesn’t have great pocket awareness. He doesn’t feel the rush well, and once the pocket is in danger, he is late to react.
- His ball placement can be erratic. He’ll chuck a go ball perfectly with one snap, landing it right in the bucket, and then airmail a crossing route the next snap. His ball placement isn’t precise enough to cut it in the NFL right now. When the passing windows shrink, he struggles to thread the needle.
Player Comp: Zach Mettenberger
I don’t have any interest in rostering Ewers in any dynasty format. He capped a disappointing collegiate career by getting selected in the seventh round of the NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He’s currently the QB3 on the roster with limited upside. He’s a checkdown-oriented pocket passer.
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 73rd
- Adjusted completion rate: 25th
- Yards per attempt: 39th
- Big-time throw rate: 56th
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 43rd
- Deep throw rate: 111th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 9th
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 49th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 32nd
Scouting Report:
- Quinn Ewers is a game manager and will be a run-of-the-mill backup quarterback in the NFL. His arm strength is decent, but nothing to write home about. He has the necessary velocity to make all the throws, but you’ll never walk away from his film saying, “Oh, wow, there was some mustard on that throw.”
- Texas tried to hide Ewers all season as a dink-and-dunk check-down operator. Among all FBS quarterbacks with at least 150 dropbacks last year, he had the 22nd-lowest average depth of target (aDOT). Ewers had six games in his final collegiate season where his aDOT was below 7.0.
- His ball placement is decent in the short and intermediate areas of the field, but it can be erratic. Ewers’ footwork can be inconsistent, leading to random errant passes on layups underneath targets. He’s also not averse to tossing some ill-advised passes that can leave his receivers open to sustaining big hits. It happens enough during his film that it has to be noted.
- When everything goes right for Ewers he can be quick and efficient with his mechanics and release and operate as a point guard for an offense.
- Ewers gets happy feet versus pressure at times. He will sometimes bail clean pockets. He’s not a quarterback you’ll see stand tall in the pocket and take a big hit while delivering a strike often.
- He is an underrated athlete with the ball in his hands and has surprisingly solid accuracy when on the move. He has the raw athleticism to maneuver in the pocket and create some plays with his legs, although he rarely does this.
Player Comp: Cody Kessler
Cook’s rushing ability will entice some to roster him on a Superflext taxi squad, but I don’t have any interest. While Cook can make plays with his legs, he struggles at times to do so with his arm. Last year, he ranked only 42nd in passing grade and 79th in adjusted completion rate (per PFF). As the QB4 on the roster, he’s likely a cut candidate and practice squad addition.
Stats:
- 2024 (minimum 150 dropbacks)
- PFF passing grade: 42nd
- Adjusted completion rate: 79th
- Yards per attempt: 35th
- Big-time throw rate: 71st
- Deep passing (minimum 20 deep passing attempts)
- Adjusted completion rate: 99th
- Deep throw rate: 70th
- Pressured passing (minimum 50 pressured dropbacks)
- Pressured adjusted completion rate: 81st
- Clean pocket adjusted completion rate: 84th
- Clean pocket passer rating: 70th
Scouting report:
- Cook is an athletic quarterback with a 9.7 RAS and 4.59 40-yard dash speed. He has solid short-area agility with quick change of direction ability as a rusher. He isn’t physically imposing and won’t be a tackle-breaker in the NFL. He’s best viewed as an opportunistic scrambler at the next level.
- Cook is a “see it, throw it” quarterback. He needs to see his receivers running with separation before he’s willing to let it rip. He has average arm strength with just enough zip to get downfield throws to where they need to be.
- He’s willing to eat pass defenses alive with underneath throws. Cooks will attempt to kill you with a thousand cuts. It’s a lot of predetermined throws and dink and dunk action. He wasn’t tasked with full-field reads or even half-field reads in college.
- Cook’s footwork is a mess. He’ll have plays where he doesn’t set his feet and throws off his back foot. With other plays, he’ll throw from a narrow base. Asking him to perform in a true dropback offense in the NFL will be an adventure. He was almost exclusively in shotgun in college. The messy footwork consistently impacts his accuracy.
- Cook will have moments with off-script plays, deep bucket balls, and some nice ball placement to lure you into buying into the athletic upside. Sadly, there aren’t enough consistent “wow” moments to think he could get to a point of living in that world with every dropback.
Player Comp: Easton Stick
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