Let’s look at how the QBs stack up heading into this season
A few days ago, our friends over at Pro Football Focus released their quarterback rankings for the 2025 season (you can check it out here). To say the least, I thoroughly disagreed with several of the author’s choices. Once I saw that Caleb Williams was ranked below JJ McCarthy, who missed the entire season, that was enough for me.
So, as I do from time to time, I decided to put out my own rankings. We did the top 50 QBs in the NFL and ranked them from 1 to 50. Feel free to argue with these placements (you’d be wrong, but feel free). Fully objective, totally fair, and unbiased, here are my 2025 QB rankings, and the tiers they belong in:
Tier 1- A League of Their Own
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
It’s a default setting at this point. No need to elaborate.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
I think at this point, the next two names on the list are interchangeable. I’ll give the MVP the nod this week, next week I might change my mind.
3. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
A threat on every play, and he seemingly keeps getting better every season.
4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
I love this guy. He’s a competitor with insane arm talent. Bengals are coming off a down year where Burrow seemingly lost every game 44 to 38.
Tier 2- Rounding Out the Elites
5. Justin Herbert, LA Chargers
I think people are hot and cold on Herbert, but I think he developed into a great player despite many years of being in a terrible situation. The stability that Harbaugh provides will shake the doubters soon.
6. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
He’s won a Super Bowl. He’s the key to the most unstoppable play in the sport (that 22 owners want banned). There’s no argument against him anymore.
7. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
No, the Bears shouldn’t have taken Daniels number one overall, but you can’t argue with the results as a rookie. If he improves on his rookie campaign in year two, he may lock himself in as a top 5 quarterback after this season.
8. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Giving Dak the benefit of the doubt after an injury-riddled season. Dak rebounds this year and puts up big numbers with Lamb and Pickens.
9. Matthew Stafford, LA Rams
He kind of feels like the Energizer bunny at this point, he just keeps trucking along. People keep assuming he’s about to fall off, and he just keeps tossing for nearly 4,000 yards every season.
Tier 3- Better than Good, Not Quite Elite
10. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Goff has a lot to prove this season to show the league that he is the quarterback he’s shown the last few seasons and wasn’t just propped up by Ben Johnson.
11. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
Another prove-it situation, Stroud fell a few spots after a Sophomore slump. This season, will the real CJ Stroud please stand up?
12. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
He’s higher than I’d like him to be, but his propensity to turn the ball over still holds him back.
13. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence has been the poster child for how not to develop a quarterback, but he continues to flash talent. He has a lot more support around him this season, and we will see exactly how good he is.
14. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock just got rewarded with a fat contract. He’s been labeled a Shanahan merchant who has been in a perfect situation. His surroundings aren’t quite as elite anymore. Will he still put up the numbers?
15. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker has done a nice job turning his career around. Left for dead with the Carolina Panthers, Mayfield has averaged 4300 yards passing and 35 passing TDs a season with Tampa the last two years. If he keeps this up, he could start pushing to be a top ten QB.
16. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tua earned a lot of credit in my eyes when we saw just how bad Mike McDaniel’s offense was last year without him. Tua is a good QB, but with concussion concerns and a limited ceiling, it’s hard to expect much more than this.
Tier 4- A Lot to Prove This Season
17. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Murray continues not to quite tap into the potential that made him the number one overall pick. The clock is ticking if this career ever rounds into shape.
18. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Solid offensive line, plenty of weapons, elite play caller. He has it all. Time to deliver.
19. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
I refuse to put Nix ahead of Caleb. That is all.
20. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
Geno is a solid QB. Can he find some magic for a couple of seasons with Pete Carroll, or is he a placeholder for a future QB not yet on the roster?
21. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Maye might be another gem from the 2024 draft class. If he meshes with Josh McDaniels, he could really make a jump this season.
22. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
The poor man’s Jared Goff this year. Goff is trying to prove he wasn’t Ben Johnson’s puppet. Darnold needs to prove he wasn’t Kevin O’Connell’s.
Tier 5- Should be Interesting
23. Michael Penix, Atlanta Falcons
Penix didn’t look too bad in the small sample size. This will be the first season we see what type of QB the Falcons have.
24. Aaron Rodgers, Free Agent
Nobody can succeed with the Jets. Can Rodgers succeed with the Steelers if he ends up there? Anyone find it funny from a Bears fan’s perspective that the Jets and Steelers swapped perhaps one of the most beloved players amongst Bears fans for one of the most hated?
25. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Showed some stuff at the end of last season, which makes you think he’s not a total bust, but not enough to make you think the Panthers have a QB they can rely on.
26. Russell Wilson, New York Giants
How long does he hold off Jaxson Dart?
27. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
How long until the Falcons trade him to a QB-needy team that is dealing with a QB injury?
28. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
The top guy in an absolutely bizarre and dreadful QB situation in Cleveland.
29. Justin Fields, New York Jets
Fields is what he is at this point. I think the Jets will lose a lot of football games this season.
30. JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Entering his rookie season in year two.
31. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
I think if he were in the 2024 class, I would have ranked him close to McCarthy, so this spot makes sense.
Tier 6- The Rest
32. Jimmy Garoppolo, LA Rams
Quietly threw for 330 yards and 2 TDs in his only game last season.
33. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
The man is one hell of an athlete. Not sure if he’s a quarterback, however.
34. Malik Willis, Green Bay Packers
Probably just a Matt LaFleur puppet, but looked the part in Green Bay.
35. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Built to handle the pressure of New York, but does he have enough talent?
36. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
There are probably three teams in the NFL where Jones has a chance to start, fortunately, he’s on one of those teams (Cleveland and New Orleans are the others).
37. Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
Technically, he is QB1 while we wait for Aaron Rodgers to sign after minicamp.
38. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
One of those guys where you just say, that’s a solid QB2.
39. Carson Wentz, Free Agent
Remember when he was on his way to winning an MVP? What a career timeline.
40. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
I think Shough has a chance to be better than most people think, but it’s hard to imagine much success with the dumpster fire the Saints are about to be.
41. Taylor Heinicke, LA Chargers
Of course, he’s Jim Harbaugh’s QB2. Of course he is.
42. Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
Better than where he was drafted, but not as good as many think he is.
43. Jameis Winston, New York Giants
The quotes are better than the skills.
44. Jarrett Sitdham, Denver Broncos
A pro’s pro as a QB2.
45. Will Howard, Pittsburgh Steelers
If anyone has a Brock Purdy path, I think it’s Howard.
46. Davis Mills, Houston Texans
I stuck my neck out putting him in the top 50.
47. Dillon Gabriel, Cleveland Browns
I feel like Gabriel is going to be Chase Daniel 2.0 and just have a 10-year career as a QB2 or QB3.
48. Mitch Trubisky, Buffalo Bills
I think the Trubisky Truthers are down to one member (you know who you are).
49. Kenny Pickett, Cleveland Browns
Pickett is, how would you put it? Not good.
50. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
Neither is Levis.