Multiple teams will be seeking franchise quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, but the pool of top prospects appears limited.
Draft analysts have identified Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders — son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders — and Miami’s Cam Ward as the leading quarterback prospects.
Heading into Week 18, the current top 10 draft order stands at:
- New England Patriots
- Tennessee Titans
- Cleveland Browns
- New York Giants
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Carolina Panthers
- New York Jets
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Chicago Bears
- New Orleans Saints
Seven of these teams need franchise quarterbacks: the Titans, Browns, Giants, Panthers, Jets, Raiders, and Saints.
The Patriots, holding the first pick, already have Drake Maye and could select Colorado’s Travis Hunter — the Heisman Trophy winner — or entertain trade offers from teams seeking Sanders or Ward.
However, some team scouts have real concerns about the two quarterbacks, especially about Sanders.
Related: Analyst reveals which QB projects as No. 1 pick in 2025 NFL Draft
NFL insider reveals officials don’t believe Shedeur Sanders is ‘anything close’ to first-round caliber
During an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero revealed that some teams have significant doubts about Sanders’ draft status.
“Shedeur Sanders, for a variety of reasons, is going to be a fascinating overall evaluation,” Pelissero said. “I’ve already talked to people within the league who don’t have anything close to a first-round grade on the guy.”
While acknowledging Sanders has supporters in the league and brings a high profile, Pelissero cautioned against assuming he’ll be the top pick.
“The idea that he’s just going to walk in and going to be the No. 1 pick, that’s probably pushing it,” Pelissero said. “If I were guessing who comes off the board first, I’d say Shedeur is not the first Colorado player off the board as it stands today.”
He added: “Travis Hunter may be a generational type of player. Somebody may well fall in love with Shedeur Sanders and he could go No. 1 overall. I would just say, in my conversations, there is healthy skepticism among people in the league that, when it comes to the end of this process, and we get to that last week of April, that somebody is going to jump out there and use a really high pick on making him a franchise QB.”
Regarding Ward’s draft position, Pelissero noted: “The names that people bring up the most would be Cam Ward out of Miami. Certainly a prospect. In another year, is he a top prospect? Maybe not, but this is this particular draft class.”
The 2025 NFL Draft begins April 24, with the landing spots of Sanders and Ward remaining key storylines to watch.