Cam Ward has long cemented himself as the top quarterback prospect in the eyes of almost all evaluators for the 2025 draft. As a result, he is in position to be selected first overall by the Titans. 
Tennessee received interest in the top pick, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network confirms the team is not prepared to trade down. As such, Ward remains on track to take over QB1 duties with the Titans as one of the passers added on the opening night of the draft. Whether or not he will be joined by other prospects at the position on Day 1 remains to be seen.
The 2025 QB class is known to lack in surefire prospects compared to previous years, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports at least one team has not assigned a first-round grade to any of this year’s passers. In spite of that, Ward is expected to come off the board first, and several other teams will have the opportunity to select a signal-caller. The Browns and Giants could very well use the second and third picks on Travis Hunter and Addul Carter and turn their attention to drafting a quarterback at the top of the second round. Trading back into the first-round order could also be in play, though, and a move on that front would be aimed at landing a long-term answer under center.
In addition to Cleveland and New York, New Orleans and Pittsburgh have been named as potential landing spots for a Day 1 passer. The Saints’ immediate situation at the position is uncertain due to Derek Carr‘s injury status, but using the No. 9 pick on a replacement is not expected. Instead, the team could use the second round to target an addition. The Saints have made calls about moving up early on the second day of the draft.
Many teams are likelier to prioritize moving down the order rather than up given the nature of this year’s draft class. The Steelers are believed to be among them, but the 21st selection could provide them with the chance to select a quarterback. Shedeur Sanders – who has a fan in the form of Mike Tomlin – could still be on the board when Pittsburgh is on the clock, a situation the team did not originally anticipate. Even if Aaron Rodgers winds up signing with the Steelers, a long-term investment would come as no surprise.
Jaxson Dart has been mentioned as a candidate to be selected in the first round for quite some time, and the Steelers are among the teams which view the Ole Miss product as a Day 1 prospect. The Saints, meanwhile, have done extensive homework on Dart as well, and Giants head coach Brian Daboll is known to be high on him. The prospect of Dart being selected before Sanders has been raised on multiple occasions, and such a scenario could easily result in three QBs coming off the board Thursday.
A fourth signal-caller being drafted is not expected as things stand. With that said, multiple general managers and 
coaches informed Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post it would not be a shock if that were to take place. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe or Louisville’s Tyler Shough would be names to watch in that scenario. Despite his age, the latter is seen by more than one team as the top prospect at the position, and his stock has improved over the pre-draft process. Especially if one or more suitors pursued a move at the back of the first round, they could find themselves jockeying for position to add a passer.
With the countdown to the draft nearly over, how do you see things playing out? Will Ward have company as a Day 1 quarterback, or will the next tier of signal-callers experience a slide down the board? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and have your say in the comments section.
How many should go in the first is 2 and much later than they should go. 3 is the obvious choice but I think 4 total will go. Someone might want to trade back into the last few picks of the first to get the 5th year option. You will have a team or two that will scare and not want their pick to get away.
Used this on a previous post:
Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson, C.J. Stroud, Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams, and Drake Maye. Throw in Sam D and plenty other 1st round nothing burger QB’s.
Teams know by year 3 if it was a good or bad pick. If it was a good pick, he’s signed early.
I got three going. Ward to Titans, Sheduer to browns giants or saints and then Dart to saints Steelers or raiders
Are you sure Atlanta won’t draft a QB? 😛
No promsies lol
I do not see any way the Browns or Giants draft a QB at #2 or #3. They’ll either trade back for material draft capital or draft Hunter/Carter. If they draft a QB, it’ll be by re-entering the late 1st round (28-32) — it makes no sense to try to trade into the late-teens or early-20s as they have additional needs to address with the draft capital.
I’m saying both trade into late 1st
Sanders and Dart won’t be there in the late 1st.
They easily could be
Zippo….media hype doesn’t work at the next level
Ward is going 1st round. I think that is about 100% lock as you can get.
But I wouldn’t be shocked if Ward is the only one in round 1.
Anything could happen, but if I have to guess, it’ll just be Ward and Sanders in the first. I think regimes on the hot seat will be hesitant to trade back into the first for guys like Dart or Milroe, who likely won’t be ready to start for a while. Even Levis didn’t go in the first, when there were several QB needy teams and he was a better prospect at the time than most of these guys are now (even if one of these guys could certainly end up better).
@oof. Yeah but needy teams do stupid moves. I think it’s three some teams have dart over Sanders or vise versa and Jackson was number 32. Definitely not saying this class great, probably all three will be a backups after year 5.
I think there’s a good chance one or both of Ward and Sanders turns into top 20 starters. Jackson was a much better prospect than Dart. Jackson also came from a pro style offense, even if people wanted to label him as something else. Dart is coming from an offense that doesn’t translate to the NFL at all, kinda like Hendon Hooker did.
@ooof. dart works with kellen Moores system my bet is they trade down and trade up after the steelers. Someone could trade up for walker, jeanty, or Warren.
Right now I’m only sure Dart works in Kiffin’s NCAA only system.
Should be 1 but I think it’ll be 3.
I’m betting on two. Ward at #1 is the obvious one; that’s currently the worst kept secret in sports. I think Sanders will go in the back half of the first round via some team trading back into it from the second round, too.
I think there is a greater chance that 2 QBs go round one. Ward for sure.
Sanders, highly likely.
I’m saying two QBs is far more likely than just one. But I don’t think more than two.
I think it’s going to be three, and I think there’s probably a 40-50% chance that Dart goes before Sanders.
In a sane world, it would be Ward in the pick 8-12 range and no one else in round one, but the NFL is not a sane world.
I see Ward going first, Dart ninth, Sanders tenth after a trade, and Milroe somewhere in the late 20’s after another trade up.
Three. Ward obviously, and Samders most likely. I do also think someone jumps at Dart, someone like NO, PIT, or Vegas perhaps.