2025 NFL Draft: Best fits for mid-round QB prospects, including Shedeur Sanders, Quinn Ewers, Will Howard

Only five quarterbacks have been selected through the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, which is somewhat understandable, but there’s a massive name missing from that list below.

Quarterbacks selected in 2025 NFL Draft

• Miami’s Cam Ward (first overall by Tennessee Titans)
• Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart (25th overall by New York Giants)
• Louisville’s Tyler Shough (40th overall by New Orleans Saints)
• Alabama’s Jalen Milroe (92nd overall by Seattle Seahawks)
• Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel (94th overall by Cleveland Browns)

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, not being chosen at all through the first three rounds after being projected earlier this draft cycle as a top-three pick is incredibly stunning. He doesn’t have any injury issues, and his throwing mechanics are sound. That’s led to speculation about how well he interviewed, but Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones did endorse Sanders’ character. 

The five quarterbacks chosen through the first three rounds of 2025 is still one shy of the total of six from the first two days of the 2024 draft, all of which flew off the board in Round 1. There are still a few solid options remaining with the draft entering it’s final day led by Sanders. Let’s take a look at some of the top choice at football’s most valuable position that are still on the board and a top team fit at this stage of the draft. Each QB will be accompanied with a light scouting report and a potential team fit. 

* All QB measurables are from the NFL Scouting Combine

• Height: 6-1 1/2″
• Weight: 212 pounds
• Hand size: 9 3/8″ 

No quarterback in the 2025 class has been more discussed than Sanders, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders. The combination of his father’s pedigree and his high level play is why he generates the attention he does. 

Sanders’ 64 passing touchdowns with the Buffalos since 2023, when he transferred from Jackson State, were tied with Ward for the second-most in college football. Following his re-writing of Colorado’s single-season records in completion percentage (74.0%), passing yards (4,134) and passing touchdowns (37) in 2024, he earned the following accolades: Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (nation’s top upperclassman quarterback), Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Big 12 honors. He also referred to himself as “the best quarterback in the country” at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Sanders felt his decision-making — something he flashed with an FBS-best 74% completion percentage — is what makes him the top QB in the upcoming class. His decision-making related to getting the ball out, however, will certainly be something NFL teams are questioning about him about because he had one of the longest time to throw averages and highest sacks taken totals in all of college football. 

* Out of 110 qualified FBS QBs in 2023

** Out of 119 qualified FBS QBs in 2024

Potential fit: Pittsburgh Steelers

There’s a chance Sanders could beat out Mason Rudolph in a quarterback competition. That’s a low bar to clear, but that’s the barrier to start in Pittsburgh right now with Aaron Rodgers still mulling over his next football decision. If Rodgers does show up, it could be incredibly beneficial for Sanders to sit a year and learn from one of the greats. Weapons at wide receiver like DK Metcalf and George Pickens could make Sanders’ NFL transition easier. 

• Height: 6-4
• Weight: 236 pounds
• Hand size: 9″ 

Will Howard thrived in his one season at Ohio State under Chip Kelly’s tutelage en route to leading the Buckeyes to a College Football Playoff title. He’s a solid athlete who thrives on rollouts that provide him plenty of space to let it rip deep: Howard’s eight completions of 50 or more yards were the second-most in college football. Howard came up clutch on the biggest stage as the first player with a completion percentage of at least 80% (81%) while throwing for 200 or more yards (231 pass yards) and rushing for 50 or more yards in a College Football Playoff game. That game happened to be the 2024 National Championship game against Notre Dame as Howard threw two touchdowns and no interceptions in a winning effort to earn Offensive MVP honors. He could improve on getting through his progressions more quickly, and throwing over the middle of the field with anticipation. 

Potential fit: Las Vegas Raiders

Howard had the best year of his college career working under Kelly, who is now the Raiders’ offensive coordinator on new head coach Pete Carroll’s staff. A reunion here would make some sense as Howard could sit and learn behind Pro Bowler Geno Smith for a couple of years. Smith is under contract for the next three years with guaranteed money in each of the next two seasons. 

• Height: 6-2
• Weight: 214 pounds
• Hand size: 9 3/8″ 

Quinn Ewers was a solid college quarterback running head coach Steve Sarkisian’s spread scheme that had a significant volume of pre-snap motions and shifts. He has the arm strength and pocket presence to be an NFL quarterback, but he just needs to avoid injury and tighten up his mechanics. Some of the mechanical issues could be caused by the injuries he’s deal with, but he also does have a bad habit of fading off his back foot when pressured, which causes throw to sail. If he can beat the injury bug, Ewers has a decent ceiling.

Potential fit: San Francisco 49ers

Kyle Shanahan’s offense would be a nice scheme fit for Ewers. San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy is entering the final year of his contract in 2025, so perhaps Ewers could marinate for at least a year and then compete for the job if Purdy isn’t around long-term. Even if Purdy does re-sign, learning under Shanahan for a few years before heading elsewhere could also make plenty of sense. 

• Height: 6-3
• Weight: 218 pounds
• Hand size: 9 1/2″ 

Kyle McCord erupted in Syracuse’s high-flying aerial attack in 2024 by leading the nation in both passing yards (4,779, ACC single-season record) and completions per game (30.1). His aggression and anticipation helped him stuff the stat sheet over and over again, and when he’s protected well, he can thrive. McCord isn’t a special athlete by NFL quarterback standards, and he doesn’t have the quickest release. However, he could thrive in the right situation. 

Potential fit: Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have some great offensive pieces in former All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill, former first-round receiver Jaylen Waddle and running back De’Von Achane. 

However, they could use some more durability and big plays from their quarterback. Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had the shortest average throw distance in the entire NFL, 5.7 yards downfield, in 2024. That could be chalked up to fighting through the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career in 2024, and as a result his 10 completions of 20 or more air yards were tied for 31st in the league after tossing an NFL-most 60 across the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Learning behind Tagovailoa and then competing for the starting job in 2026 or 2027 could make sense. Tagovailoa’s contract is out of guaranteed money in the final three years of the deal from 2026-2028, thus making it easy to move on from him. 

• Height: 6-4
• Weight: 216 pounds
• Hand size: 9 1/2″ 

College Football Playoff runner-up Notre Dame built their offense around quarterback Riley Leonard’s dual-threat capabilities. Leonard (2,861 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 17 rushing touchdowns) and Washington State quarterback John Mateer (3,139 passing yards, 29 passing touchdowns, 15 rushing touchdowns) were the only two quarterback last season with at least 2,500 yards passing, 20 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns. 

Leonard’s 17 rushing touchdown set the Fighting Irish’s single-season rushing touchdowns record for a quarterback. His arm strength is solid, but Notre Dame’s passing offense was stylistically conservative, which makes it hard to discern how strong Leonard’s anticipation and deep-passing accuracy truly are. He has upside because of his athleticism, but he’ll need to develop on a team that embraces mobility at the quarterback position. 

Potential fit: Buffalo Bills

This could make sense with the similarities between 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen and Leonard in the mobility department. Leonard could marinate in Buffalo as a cheap, young backup for years before trying his luck elsewhere around the league at the end of his rookie deal.