Fewer quarterback prospects for this year’s NFL draft after record-setting 2024

That doesn’t mean that NFL teams will ignore the most important position in the game.

“Every smart team is always looking for quarterbacks,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said. “It’s a quarterback league.”

So, while Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are expected to go in the first round, the real work will come with how the rest of the quarterback class has been scouted.

NFL teams make mistakes annually at the position.

There’s the historic tale of Tom Brady lasting until the sixth round (199th overall) in 2000. More recently, Mitchell Trubisky was picked ahead of Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes in 2017.

It’s kind of early, but the 2021 draft is a cautionary tale. Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance went with the three top picks, while Brock Purdy lasted until the seventh round (262nd overall).

Lawrence has been a solid pro while Wilson and Lance have bounced around league. Purdy was the starting quarterback during the 49ers’ Super Bowl season in 2023.

“Whether you’re looking for a backup, practice squad quarterback, a starting quarterback, it’s hard to win without one,” DeCosta said. “We’re blessed to have Lamar Jackson. Before that we were blessed to have Joe Flacco. Living in a world without a quarterback is a tough world to live in. We understand that.”

Jackson was selected 32nd overall in 2018 after quarterbacks Baker Mayfield (No. 1), Sam Darnold (No. 3), Josh Allen (No. 7) and Josh Rosen (No. 10) were selected.

The Titans have had trouble replacing Ryan Tannehill. After drafting Malik Willis (third round, 2022) and Will Levis (second round, 2023), they are prepared — with a new general manager (Mike Borgonzi) — to draft Ward with the No. 1 overall pick.

“There’s a little bit of luck involved in that, but it’s also, if you know the individual relationships that you or someone on your staff or your head coach might have and kind of know how the players are wired, it makes it a little easier to take a chance on a quarterback,” Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht said.

Ward, who ran the Wing-T offense in high school in West Columbia, Texas, and was under-recruited. He started his career at Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas before transferring to Washington State.

He entered the draft in 2024, but elected to return to college and turned in a monster season with Miami.

He tossed 39 touchdown passes and had a college passer rating of 172.7.

Over the course of the predraft process, he pulled ahead of Sanders for the top quarterback spot.

“I just put my head down and work every day,” Ward said. “I prayed about it. I’ve been praying for this moment since I was 6. I’m just blessed.”

Ward made the most of his talents at all of his stops.

“I’ve been around some great players that helped me get to this place,” Ward said. “The coaching staff really helped me since coming in as a young 17-year-old kid running a Wing-T offense. So, it’s (come) full circle.”

It was a difficult decision to play one last college season. It was made less difficult by Miami’s name, image and likeness (NIL) deal.

“I love playing college football,” Ward said. “It was a good steppingstone for my journey to get to this level, but I just think it was more food left on the table for me. More stuff that I needed to improve on just personally with just the way I approach the game, my mindset, the footwork I needed to get better at.”

Ward has been following the Titans from afar. He’s familiar with the work of coach Brian Callahan, who helped the Bengals reach the Super Bowl LVI as their offensive coordinator and was on Denver’s staff that won Super Bowl 50.

“I was able to watch a couple of their games this past season,” Ward said. “A lot of their route concepts are similar stuff that we do, so if I’m drafted there, I just think it’d be plug and play.”

The predraft interactions with the Titans’ front office have gone well.

“Myself with coach Callahan, the quarterbacks coach (Bo Hardegree) and also the GM,” Ward said. “It’s a great staff they put together. They’ve got unbelievable players, so I just hope that God puts me in this situation.”

The Giants have heavily scouted Sanders and held additional private work out for him last week. Sanders, the son of former Falcons and Braves superstar Deion Sanders, helped to resurrect the programs at Jackson State and Colorado.

“Sanders is a touch thrower with competitive toughness,” according to SumerSports.com’s draft guide. “He can get the ball down the field and help his receivers on the way to yards after the catch.”

Former Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff, the architect of the powerhouse Matt Ryan-led squads, is the director of football operations for SumerSports.com.

Sanders has been mentored by Brady.

Also, former NFL head coach and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, was his offensive coordinator at Colorado last season.

“He is amazing,” Sanders said. “He’s great. I’m truly thankful and glad that he was my offensive coordinator. I’ve been through six different OCs, so I’m able to adjust to any offense and every scheme and make it work.”

Former Colorado wide receiver/defensive Travis Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner, is big supporter of Sanders.

“Very confident,” Ward said of Sanders. “I believe he is definitely the best quarterback in this draft.”

After Ward and Sanders, it’s pick your flavor at the quarterback position.

Former Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe head up the next tier of quarterbacks.

Ohio State’s Will Howard, Louisville’s Tyler Shough and Texas’ Quin Ewers are solid NFL prospects.

“These guys drive the league,” DeCosta said. “It’s a tough position to be in, but I think if you’ve got the right people, trust the process, you can find one.”

2025 POSITION BY POSITION SERIES

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