The Draft "Expert" - Pre-Draft Quarterback Prospect Rankings

Hello one and all and welcome to my final officially official pre-draft quarterback prospect rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft! I don't know about you guys, but I still really cant get over the fact that we are exactly one week from the draft, it feels like only yesterday that the Eagles beat the piss out of the Chiefs in the Super Bowl!

I know I made a blog post back on January 24th about my final rankings of the season, but since then I have gone back and re-watched each of these quarterback's tape and wanted to make another post before the draft!

Unlike the previous however many blog posts, this one includes 15-quarterbacks, as opposed to the usual 10, with a few honorable mentions in there as well! Along with that, each quarterback has two games worth of clips for you all to see, that way you can hopefully understand why I ranked them where I did!

Now, the two games that I included foreach quarterback are not just their two best games from this past season, some many have loses or some unflattering game(s). I wanted to post the most throws I could for each quarterback rather than just show them at their best, if that makes sense.

So, without any further delay, I Logan Blackman, the self proclaimed Draft "Expert" am proud to present to you my officially official pre-draft quarterback prospect rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft! Enjoy!

Podcast Links

• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tlbs-football-craziness-nico-iamaleava-situation-colorado/id1514011056?i=1000703725832

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1gqnlOAe8oAgyOg3V4W5EM

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2MFVOFMZlg

Tyler Shough, Louisville; Shedeur Sanders, Colorado; Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

1. Cam Ward, Miami (FL)

Season - 305/454 4,313 yds 39 touchdowns 7 interceptions/60 carries 204 yds 4 touchdowns

• As you've all probably figured out by now, Miami's Cam Ward is my favorite prospect in this year's draft class. A combination of arm talent and play making ability, Ward has an innate ability to make something out of nothing, regularly throwing receivers open with pressure barreling down upon him. While at Incarnate Word and Washington State Ward's talent was well accepted, but there was a certain rawness to his game that really didn't get defined until transferring to Miami. A zero star triple option quarterback coming out of high school, Ward's ascension up to the top of the class is truly remarkable. To go from that to being a Heisman finalist and first team All-American is really something we haven't seen before, and if he winds up going first overall (like is expected) he could be the Titans true heir to McNair. As for his play this past season, here are two games that I think are important to see from Ward from this past season.

Wk 6 - 35/53 437 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/6 carries 15 yds 1 touchdown @ Cal (39-38 W)

With the corner crashing down to guard the speed out, Ward does a very nice job at getting the ball out quickly to Brown before the safety could come over and make a play on the ball.

Nothing insanely insane from Ward on this play, but this again shows his innate ability to extend plays and make accurate throws when on the move.

Again, just another example of Ward extending the play before delivering a nice catchable ball to his receiver for the first down. Nothing too flashy, just Cam Ward being Cam Ward if that makes sense.

You know how I have continuously mentioned how great Cam Ward is at extending plays and making smart throws down the field? Well, this is kind of the opposite. Sure Ward does do a nice job at getting outside the pocket after it collapsed, but man, rule number one in quarterbacking is never throw the ball across your body, especially when you're throwing back into the middle of the field. It's just an impossible task. This is one of those plays where you just have to throw it out of bounds and live to fight another day, especially given the fact that this ball was housed going in the opposite direction.

Ward had to put a decent amount on this throw in order to hit George before either of the two Cal defenders made a play on the ball. Like, number zero for Cal was centimeters away from breaking up this pass, let alone the defender coming in once the ball made contact with George's chest. Just a very nice throw by Ward, again, helping extend the drive and pushing Miami to the Cal side of the 50.

First off, I think it's funny that you can see Ward pointing to the Cal defender getting off the field late before delivering a great ball to Lofton for the first down. I know it's nothing major, but I do think it shows how calm Ward is in the pocket. Like if any other quarterback did that it'd throw them off completely as it takes their attention off the read(s), but Ward manages to stay calm and find his intended receiver in the middle of five Cal defenders for the aforementioned 24-yard gain.

Very nice job by Ward just ripping it to Horton for the touchdown. With a few different Cal defenders in the vicinity there's not a ton of room for error, especially when you're inside the red zone, but Ward makes no mistake by just firing this right at the peak of his drop back. He stays calm in the pocket with a couple defenders in his face and delivers a nice pass for the score.

Though it was from 24-yards out, this may be the easiest touchdown run Cam Ward has ever had. Like, not only did he not get touched on his way into the end zone, but I'm not sure if he actually ever got into first gear on this run.

This is a very smart decision from Ward. Some quarterbacks after seeing nothing open down the field on third and 20 would either launch it into the end zone and hope someone would come down with it or try to pick up as many yards as they can on the ground. Though it initially looked like Ward was going to attempt to pick up as many yards as he could with his feet, he smartly dumps it off to his running back sitting near the sideline who has much more room to work with as Cal was playing zone.

At first glance you may think this was a bad read by Ward as he has a defender right in his face right as he's about to throw the football. Though it looks like that initially, Cal did a nice job at stacking pressure off the edge, as Ward's pull/give read key crashed and followed the back, which means to pull, but there was a second defender in his face following right after the first, forcing him to have to adjust and make a play while getting smacked in the head. Still, if he did give it I think Martinez may have found the end zone, especially since he held his hands up after Ward pulled it.

Wk 11 - 25/39 348 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/5 carries -5 yds 0 touchdowns @ Georgia Tech (28-23 L)

What a perfectly timed through by Ward to hit Arroyo in stride for the 74-yard score. Like, Arroyo is just briskly jogging down the field, with Ward hitting him right in the number before he even has a chance to get his head up.

With the blitz coming in late, Ward stays nice and calm before delivering a strike down the near sideline to Brown for the aforementioned 14-yard gain. I've mentioned this before, but I don't think most people understand how difficult it is to throw from the far hash 14-yards down the field to the near sideline, especially when there's a a defender in the area.

Again, near hash to the far sideline, 21-yards down the field, that's not an easy throw. Though Restrepo has a step on his defender, Ward still does a very nice job at placing this ball more towards the sideline in a spot where only his receiver could get it, making for a really nice gain and getting Miami to the Georgia Tech 28-yard line.

Just an absolute strike from Ward to fit this ball into Horton for the first down. With the linebacker dropping back into coverage once the ball is snapped, Ward knows he's got to get this thing out in a hurry in order to get the ball to his intended receiver. Not only that, but Ward also has to put this more on Horton's body rather than lead him up field as the pass could potentially be intercepted.

This is just a near perfect throw from Ward to hit Horton in the end zone for the score. You've got to be deadly accurate when you're throwing the ball inside the 10-yard line as there's less room to work with which makes the passing lanes even smaller. Not to mention with the defender coming off the edge Ward knows he not only needs to place a near perfect ball but also knows to get the ball out quick or else he'll get sacked and potentially lose the ball. Ward put this ball in a spot where only his receiver could get it, over his outside shoulder and towards the sideline.

Just a nice and easy toss between quarterback and wide receiver for this 38-yard touchdown.

This was just one of those situations where Ward is trying to do too much. I get he wants to push the ball down the field and avoid a sack as there's not a lot of time left, but the smart play would be to just throw this ball out of bounds, or check it down to Elijah Arroyo and just live to fight another play. It may not be what you initially wanted to do, but at least Georgia Tech doesn't come away with the football with less than two minutes to go in the game.

• As you can see Ward can make some ridiculous throws that not a lot of other quarterbacks can make. He's always calm in the pocket but can escape with ease and make impressive throws while on the move. That being said Ward does need to get the 'hero ball' side of him coached out, as the interception against Cal and the fumble against Georgia Tech are two examples of him trying to do too much, trying to come up with some type of play. Sometimes the best move is to just throw it away and live to fight another play, not every moment needs to be a touchdown or a jaw dropping play. Overall I think Ward separated himself from the rest of the pack with this play this year and should be the first overall pick by Tennessee in a weeks time.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 5 v Virginia Tech

  • Wk 10 v Duke

  • Wk 14 @ Syracuse

2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Season - 353/477 4,134 yds 37 touchdowns 10 interceptions/100 carries -50 yds 4 touchdowns

• Shedeur Sanders is by far the most polarizing quarterback prospect in this year's draft. Some people out there may view that as a bad thing, but from what I can tell about Shedeur is that he probably loves it. A four star recruit out of high school, Sanders famously followed his dad Deion to Jackson State, where the pair helped turn a team that 4-8 their last full season (4-3 COVID year) to back-to-back 11-win seasons that saw them make back-to-back Celebration Bowls. After those two years the pair, along with Travis Hunter moved on to Colorado, turning a program that was 1-11 the year prior to their arrival to an eventual nine win team in just two years. Shedeur may not have the arm strength or natural playmaking of Cam Ward, but the dude is as tough as they come and arguably the most accurate quarterback in the class. He is excellent at the layered throws and can roll out to his left better than some left handed quarterbacks. Again, Shedeur definitely divides opinions, but you cannot say he's not one of the draft's top quarterback prospects.

Wk 7 - 34/40 388 yds 3 touchdowns 1 interception/9 carries -50 yds 0 touchdowns v no.18 Kansas State (31-28 L)

With four Kansas State defenders in the area, Sanders does an excellent job at putting this ball right on Horn's body for the first down. Another thing I like about this throw is that it's low, which means Horn will have to go down in order to make the catch thus avoiding a major shot by the defender. Though he got hit, his head is still attached to his body.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Sanders is one of the best quarterbacks in the nation when it comes to roll out to his left. Not just that, but every time there is a defender in his face he doesn't seem to care. He's as consistent as they come when rolling out to the left, and here he hits Hunter on his body and in stride to help pick up the decent gain.

This is a very nice throw by Sanders to find Miller down the sideline. Sure he's 'open,' but you have to be very careful on where you place this ball as a quarterback, especially with a defender coming in late over top to try and make a play on the ball. Overall just a nice hole shot from Sanders.

This is a very nice play by both Sanders and Sheppard for the score. First off, I think Sanders does a very nice job at navigating in the pocket. When the pressure started coming from the left side of the line Sanders slid to his right before climbing the pocket and delivering a strike. As for Sheppard, he did a great job at adjusting his route after seeing Sanders wasn't going to get the initial throw off. He carries his route towards the back middle of the end zone which Sanders sees and again, delivers a strike for the touchdown (around the defender no less). That's the type of throws and plays you love to see.

Like I said, Sanders put this ball on an absolute rope to Miller. Great throw.

This is just a crazy throw from Sanders. I don't think you understand how hard of a throw this is to make. Coming from the far hash and throwing it from the 20 to the opposite 35 down the far sideline takes a crazy amount of arm strength, not to mention accuracy to place the ball on the receivers outside shoulder.

Just an unfortunate play as the pressure coming at feet causes Sanders to airmail this pass, landing in the grateful arms of a Kansas State defender.

Great job at moving around in the pocket from Sanders, giving his receivers enough time to try and create separation between themselves and the Kansas State defenders. This is what you like to see from your quarterback, keeping his eyes up while shifting around the pocket, just a very nice play from Sanders and it helped extend the drive.

Wk 12 - 30/41 340 yds 3 touchdowns 1 interception/7 carries -9 yds 0 touchdowns v Utah (49-24 W)

They always say football is a game of inches, and this is a prime example of that. Like, Sanders may not have been hit with the most force, but that bump that he took from the Utah defender caused the ball to go off target just enough to go in the path of the Ute linebacker. If he's able to avoid the hit, maybe he's able to get more on this pass which could've potentially led to a touchdown, as the safety to the near side of the field had his focus on the slot receiver.

I like this throw much more than the touchdown pass that came a play later. Sure it didn't pick up the full 24-yards needed for the first down, but it put them in position to make a play by getting them to fourth and manageable. This isn't necessarily the tightest window but it's far from an easy throw, especially the linebacker dropping back into coverage after showing blitz initially. The throw that came afterwards was a launch to the end zone after drawing Utah offsides. Sanders tossed it up towards Sheppard in the end zone who out muscled his defender for the score.

As the old saying goes, let your playmakers make plays, and that's exactly what Sanders did on this play as he told Hunter to make a play on fourth and eight. This throw shows the trust that Sanders has in his number one weapon.

What a way to respond after registering his second turnover of the first half. Much like the game last week against Texas Tech, Sanders is able to throw a really nice fade ball to Sheppard in the end zone for six. Apart from Travis Hunter, the receiver Sanders trusts the most to 'go up and get it' is Will Sheppard, who registered his second receiving touchdown of the game and his sixth in his last six games.

This doesn't show the scoring play in full but Miller would fight threw a couple Utah defenders before taking it into the end zone for six. This throw from Sanders though is really impressive, getting it over the linebacker and in front of the corner, layering it into his intended receiver for the eventual score. That's the type of throw you love to see from the top quarterback prospects as that is again, a very impressive throw that resulted in six.

It may only be a slant route but again, this is still a very nice throw from Sanders to fit it into Sheppard for what would've been a 12-yard gain and a first down on second and eight. At first glance it doesn't really look like the Utah defenders gets much on the ball, as it seems like Sheppard more or less just dropped the ball. That being said the contact he made on Sheppard's arm caused the ball to pop free, gifting the Utes the ball back at the aforementioned 45-yard line.

• Again, Sanders may not possess the same arm strength or playmaking ability that Ward has, but the dude can make damn near every throw on the field with excellent accuracy. Like Ward he's not without his flaws as he still needs to work on getting the ball out quicker as sometimes he is a second or two late on the throw. I know his offensive line was brutal, which is a credit to his aforementioned toughness, but that is definitely something he'll need to improve upon at the next level. A polarizing prospect, to me Sanders is the next best quarterback after Ward.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 3 @ Colorado State

  • Wk 4 v Baylor

  • Wk 5 @ UCF

3. Tyler Shough, Louisville

Season - 244/389 3,195 yds 23 touchdowns 6 interceptions/42 carries 19 yds 1 touchdown

• One of the older quarterback prospects in recent memory, Louisville's Tyler Shough was in the same recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, who were both drafted in 2021. Though his route to the NFL has taken longer than he would have probably liked, there's no doubt that Shough has the talent to be taken with a decently premium pick in the draft. The biggest knock on him (apart from his age, as he'll turn 26 in September) is something that he can't really control, which is his injury history. Across seven seasons of college football, Shough has only started 32-games, appearing in 42, with this last season being the first time he's made it through a regular season without missing any games (opting out of the bowl game). Though he's battled some injuries I don't really have too much concern about his long term health, as the injuries he sustained are pretty freak, as he broke his collar bone twice and broke his leg in 2023, which was one of the freakiest injuries you'll see as he probably broke his ankle on the previous play before his leg just exploded while standing in the pocket. Despite his age and injuries, Shough can make every single throw on the football field, showing excellent anticipation while making some ridiculous throws both in the pocket and on the move. I honestly wouldn't be too shocked if he wound up in the first round, though I do find it unlikely at this point.

Wk 5 - 24/41 264 yds 3 touchdowns 1 interception/5 carries 36 yd 0 touchdowns @ no.16 Notre Dame (31-24 L)

Very nice job by Shough at first focusing his attention to the right side of the formation before flipping back to his left and hitting his open running back in the end zone on a nice back shoulder throw away from the Notre Dame linebacker. Overall just a nice job at putting the ball where only his intended receiver (or running back in this case) could make a play on the ball.

This would have been a fantastic play for the Cardinals had Shough not coughed it up at the end. Like the dude smartly pulled the ball from his running back's stomach and picked up a pretty ridiculous amount of yards on the play, you just have to be more aware of your surroundings and understand that ball security is job security (obviously he was never going to be benched, just go along with it). To make matters worse it would only take the Irish four plays to find the end zone, completely flipping the game in the process.

Quick release, crazy angle, extremely tight window, these are the types of throws people absolutely love seeing in college football. All things considered, this play has no right to result in a touchdown for Louisville, but it did. I mean, you really can't ask for more from Shough, as he did an excellent job at getting outside the pocket following pressure up the middle before throwing it completely across his body for the score, not to mention he took a nice little shot from the Irish defender as well right as he let the ball go. Great play overall, and it helped the Cardinals get back to within one score.

Just an unfortunate situation for the Cardinal offense as Shough does a really nice job at stepping up into a collapsing pocket before firing an accurate and catchable ball down the field to Brooks for what would have been a really nice gain on third and seven. For whatever reason Brooks couldn't see it in, with the ball landing in the grateful arms for Watts, who takes it back to the Louisville 36.

With pressure coming from the left side of the offensive line, Shough does a very nice job at remaining calm and tall while delivering a very nice ball between two Irish defenders to Lacy for the aforementioned 24-yard gain. Shough puts enough on it to get it over the first defender while also taking enough off of it to avoid the pass getting picked off or broken up (also avoids Lacy getting his head ripped off by the safety).

With a defender on Johnson's back and another playing over top, there is very little room for error on this play. Despite that, Shough throws a perfect ball, hitting Johnson in a spot where only he could get it while picking up an impressive 27-yards on the play.

What a throw and catch combination from Shough to Lacy on this play. With pressure in his face, from an awkward base Shough is still able to place this ball in a spot where only his receiver could get it, with Lacy again making a spectacular one handed catch to come down with the ball at the Notre Dame 38-yard line.

Shough didn't really need to think twice about where to throw this ball, seeing as his favorite receiver was on an island on the near side of the field.

Wk 9 - 28/38 332 yds 2 touchdowns 2 interceptions/5 carries 13 yds 0 touchdowns @ Boston College (31-27 W)

This is just a poor decision from Shough as he should have just tossed this thing out of bounds and lived to fight another play. I guess I don't know if that was his intention of not, or if he was trying to hit Ja'Corey Brooks but either way it wasn't a good throw which again resulted in an interception.

With four of the five offensive linemen throwing cut blocks (though they worked for the most part) Shough doesn't necessarily have a ton of time to get this ball out. Rolling out slightly to his right, he is able to make a strong throw to Brooks who has three Golden Eagle defenders around him, finding the hole and fitting it into him (in stride) for a nice 15-yard gain.

These are the types of throws you want to see your quarterback making. On a third and seven situation, can you make the tight throws that will help the team advance further down the field? On this play, Shough does a very nice job at looking the defender off to the left before turning back to the middle and firing it into Redman for the 15-yard gain and first down, putting it right on his body through an aforementioned tight window.

What a throw and what a catch between quarterback and wide receiver on this play. The throw was perfectly placed, put in a spot where only his receiver could make a play on it. The catch was ridiculous as well, as he brought it in with one hand while fighting through contact with the defender. You really couldn't have asked for a prettier play, which would then lead to a four yard touchdown pass from Shough to Nate Kurisky to make it 27-17 with less than four minutes to go in the quarter.

Despite the receiver creating a good amount of separation, this is still not the easiest throw in the world to make. With pressure in his face, Shough is still able to drop the ball in the bucket which would again lead to a 34-yard gain for the Cardinal offense.

This is a situation where Shough trusted his arm a little too much. Look, there's hardly any quarterbacks on Earth that would complete this pass, as not only was the pass rush getting through but he was throwing this off his back foot (and turning away) to a receiver in double coverage. It really would have taken an otherworldly throw to complete this pass, and unfortunately here that was not the case and the ball was intercepted. Did Bell have a step or two on his defender? Yes, but there were too many other factors in play unfortunately. Rough time to throw an interception as well, as this could have been a real factor in a potential Boston College comeback.

• Though he's a little older and has an extensive injury history Shough is truly one of the best quarterbacks in this year's class. Sure he may have the odd moment where he turns his body to avoid contact after he throws the ball, but when everything is clicking and in sync he is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Quick release, strong arm, and ability to make plays off script makes him a fun quarterback to watch and should be taken with at least an early second round pick.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 6 v SMU

  • Wk 8 v no.6 Miami (FL)

  • Wk 10 @ no.11 Clemson

4. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Season - 276/398 4,279 yds 29 touchdowns 6 interceptions/124 carries 495 yds 3 touchdowns

• Someone who has been jumping up boards ever since the season ended, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart is one of the draft's more intriguing prospects in this year's class. Perfect for Lane Kiffin's high octane offense, Dart showed moments of brilliance throughout last season, though he would sometimes follow that up with some inconsistent play. That's Dart's biggest concern, is that can he keep up his high level play throughout the course of the season. Quarterbacks who play in the style of offense Dart comes from makes some people nervous going into the draft, as it consists of a lot of play action and not too many reads both pre and post snap. That being said, Dart's talents definitely can translate to the next level, and could be deadly if placed in a system that shows more of his strengths than weaknesses.

Wk 13 - 24/41 323 yds 2 touchdowns 2 interceptions/14 carries 71 yds 0 touchdowns @ Florida (24-17 L)

This is a beautifully thrown ball by Jaxson Dart, hitting Harris perfectly in stride with two defenders on him from 43-yards out for the Rebels' first points of the game. This just looked like a practice rep as this ball was dropped right in the bucket for the score.

Really nice job by Dart at remaining calm in the pocket on fourth and two. With no one initially open, some quarterbacks may have tried to pick up the first down with their legs, which Dart is definitely more than capable of doing. Here though again he stays calm and delivers a catchable ball to Watkins for the 25-yard gain.

Absolute dart from Jaxson Dart to hit Lee in stride for the 22-yard touchdown. The dude made no mistake about it, once he gathered himself he just fired it in between a few different Florida defenders to Lee, who made a great hands catch in the process as well.

Much like I brought up before with the fourth down completion to Jordan Watkins, Dart does a very nice job at just staying calm in the pocket and waiting for something to develop down the field. In this case, Wright created enough separation in Dart's mind to hit him for a 30-yard gain. With defenders jumping in his face, and another coming around the left side of the offensive line, Dart was able to deliver a very nice ball down the field for a big time gain to get them inside the red zone.

Like I mentioned before Dart is a very capable runner when called upon, as seen on this play as he's able to pick up 20-yards and a first down in the process. With the pocket collapsing and nothing really open down the field, Dart smartly decides to tuck it and pick as many yards as he can before coming into contact with a Florida defender.

A very well waited pass right there from Dart, being able to hit Lee between four Florida defenders to pick up 23-yards and a first down after the aforementioned holding penalty pushed them back 10-yards.

Throwing into triple coverage is usually not a good idea, but it's even worse when you see Florida shift their coverage to the left side of the formation. With the shift in coverage Dart had a receiver on an island to the far side of the field, but with him locked on Wells it led to an easy interception for Florida.

This is a really good throw from Dart, getting it over the outstretched arm of the Florida defender and into the path of Lee for the 19-yard gain following the sack on first down.

This is seemingly a miscommunication between quarterback in wide receiver, as Dart thought the receiver would carry his route more upfield rather than cutting it a few yards short.

Just an unfortunate turn of events as again these interceptions would ultimately seal the game up for the Gators, who would come out with a 24-17 home win against another playoff hopeful.

Bowl Game - 27/35 404 yds 4 touchdowns 0 interceptions/12 carries 43 yds 0 touchdowns v Duke (52-20 W) (TaxSlayer Gator Bowl)

Getting hit while he throws with pressure in his face, Dart is able to throw a beautiful ball to Wright for the nice 30-yard gain. Getting the ball over the outstretched arm of the Duke defender despite him having good position. Usually when a quarterback gets hit on throws like this the pass ends up getting intercepted but again, Dart gets enough on it to get it Wright for the first down.

Very nice throw in traffic here by Dart, fitting it into his tight end between two or three Duke defenders. Also nice job by Prieskorn at seeing this ball in despite being surrounded by those aforementioned defenders.

He may not be as quick twitch as someone like Jayden Daniels, but Jaxson Dart is very dangerous when he's running with the football, able to break off impressive runs like this for first downs. I love that he didn't think twice about taking off and running when he saw the free rusher coming in on him. Some quarterbacks in that situation would've froze and/or taken a sack.

One thing I love about Dart is that he's really tough and isn't afraid of contact (though sometimes I'd like him to slide rather than lower his shoulder). He takes a pop to the mouth on this throw, and though I'm not always the biggest fan of tossing it up and praying the receiver comes down with it, he puts it in a good spot despite knowing he's going to take a shot and his receiver is able to come down with it.

Much like the earlier throw to Wright that went for 22-yards to help set up the field goal, Dart is able to deliver a strong throw despite knowing he's going to take a little shot from the defender. With that, this is a perfect throw from Dart. Near hash from the 21 to the front pylon on the far sideline is far from an easy throw, yet Dart is still able to put this thing right on the money.

It really doesn't get much better than this, does it? With pressure again in his face, Dart is able to roll out to his left and throw an absolutely beautiful ball down the sideline to Watkins would makes a terrific catch for a 51-yard gain. You really cannot throw a ball much better than that.

This is another fantastic throw from Dart to hit Watkins for the 69-yard score. With Watkins beating his defender off the line and with a safety playing over top, Dart knows this ball has to be on a line, and he zipped that son of bitch in there for the big time gain, with a Duke defender coming in late no less. You really can't ask for a better throw from your quarterback, and that's why it ultimately resulted in six more points for the offense.

• Like I mentioned before, Dart's stock has been on the rise pretty much ever since the season ended. There's no doubt that he can be a very good quarterback at the next level, I just hope that he can maintain some consistency and we don't see as many dominant performances followed by subpar performances. He's got the arm, the mobility, and the toughness, I'm excited to see which team he winds up with.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 6 @ South Carolina

  • Wk 7 @ no.13 LSU

  • Wk 10 v Arkansas

5. Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Season - 205/319 2,844 yds 16 touchdowns 11 interceptions/168 carries 726 yds 20 touchdowns

• Jalen Milroe is really one of my favorite prospects in this year's class. From a tools standpoint, Milroe may be the most physically gifted quarterback in this class as he can boast the strongest arm while also being the most naturally athletic quarterback in this class. I mean, Milroe just broke Jalen Hurts' single season rushing touchdown record, picking up a fairly ridiculous 20 with 726-yards to boot. With all that physical talent, Milroe should be considered the draft's top option, right? Well, it's not that simple. When everything is clicking, Milroe can be damn near unstoppable, the problem is that he can go really cold at some of the most inopportune times which can make him fairly frustrating at times. His deep ball in great, but he struggles hitting the underneath and intermediate throws, with the ball sailing on him more often then not. I think off talent alone he should be a very good quarterback at the next level, I just hope that whatever team drafts him that they're willing to be patient, because he still has a lot of room to grow and develop to be that aforementioned 'very good quarterback.'

Wk 5 - 27/33 374 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/16 carries 117 yds 2 touchdowns v no.2 Georgia (41-34 W)

This is a prime example of knowing your match-up. Sure, Henderson had only registered two catches up to that point in the season, but with a first year starter in coverage Milroe smartly took advantage and came up with a big time throw down the near sideline.

There's not a lot of quarterbacks in college football, let alone this draft that could evade an unblocked Georgia defender and turn it up field for a 16-yard gain. That's the thing with Jalen Milroe, as much as he's improved throughout the last two seasons as a passer, it's plays like this that make him such a headache for opposing defensive coordinators.

Look at the Georgia linebacker on this play, that little hesitation once Miller went in motion made this an easy decision for Milroe to make. That's one of the reasons they call football 'the game of inches' because even slightly hesitating can free up a player enough to make it a nice and simple pitch and catch between quarterback and receiver, or in this case running back. Still, this was a fantastic throw by Milroe, placing the ball right over the defender's shoulder and into Miller's bread basket.

This is again another example of Milroe's natural athletic ability. Like, do you know how fast Georgia's defense is? With that, do you know how hard it is to out run Georgia defenders, especially as a quarterback? On fourth down? I do respect that decision from Kalen DeBoer and co., going for it on fourth down up 21 at the start of the second quarter. When you have a quarterback like Milroe who can make plays like that than why not, right?

Though maybe not the exact same thing, but here's another example of Milroe turning a potential sack into a first down and a massive gain by using his legs. He's just an insane threat when he's in the pocket because you don't know whether he's going to kill you with his arm or his legs, and on this occasion he decided to go with the latter and pick up 26-yards and a first down.

Look, I understand what Milroe is trying to do to a certain extent. With Dippre's route carrying him into the path of two Georgia defenders, Milroe tries to place the ball on his outside shoulder, trying to avoid a potential turnover. Unfortunately Dippre couldn't bring in the ball, which caused it to pop up and land in the grateful arms of a Bulldog defender. Again, I understand what Milroe was trying to do, it just wasn't a great throw which led to the pass being intercepted.

With pressure in his face, Milroe is still able to stand tall in the pocket and deliver a very nice ball down the field for Williams to make a play on it. For as good of an athlete as Milroe obviously is, as I've pointed out numerous times to this point, it's nice to see him deliver passes like this. Normally when a quarterback as mobile as Milroe gets pressured they try to extend the play with their feet before either throwing it down field or trying to pick up some yards on the ground so again, I really like this play from Milore and hope it's something we continue to see as he develops.

Though it's not the prettiest throw of all time I do like Milroe trying to hit Williams on his back shoulder. With the defender going stride for stride with the receiver, normally your best bet for a completion is to throw this back shoulder rather than try and hit him up the field due to the fact that the defender has inside leverage.

Wk 13 - 11/26 164 yds 0 touchdowns 3 interceptions/15 carries 7 yds 0 touchdowns @ Oklahoma (24-3 L)

Very nice job by Milroe at getting this ball over the top of the safety and fitting it into Bernard who made a fantastic catch to pick up the big gain and the first down. With Josh Cuevas open on the opposite side of the field, it seems like Oklahoma just wanted Alabama to pick up the first down on third and 16. Regardless this is still a very nice throw from Milroe which again helped the Crimson Tide pick up a really nice gain and a much needed first down after going three and out on their opening possession.

You just hate to see this happen. It's bad enough throwing an interception in general, but throwing it on a screen is one of the worst feelings in the world. Like there's no read involved, it's just about getting the ball out of your hand as quick as possible and into the hands of the intended receiver. Only problem is that the Oklahoma defender was able to break through the blocks with little to no effort, stepping in front of the pass and returning it to the Alabama 14-yard line.

Forget about the interception for a second, what the hell is that effort from Milroe on the tackle? A slide tackle, really? This isn't soccer, go in and actually try bring the defender down after gifting him an easy interception. This was just a poor throw from Milroe. Sure he may have had a window there initially, but the ball left his hand late and ended up right in the path of an Oklahoma defender who again, would return it 49-yards for the score.

It's a damn shame this play didn't end up counting because it's a fantastic throw from Milroe and an even better catch by Williams that would have given the Crimson Tide their first touchdown of the game. I don't care if it didn't count, I still want to bring attention to it because this was the best play of the game, for either team if I'm being honest.

This is probably the easiest interception Woodi Washington will have in his life. You just hate to see this because Milroe was none the wiser about the oncoming defender, as his vision is locked in to the far side of the field. I've brought this up before in previous blog posts but this is one of the most helpless feelings for a quarterback. Getting hit while you throw and watching the ball sputter in the air before landing in the grateful arms of a defender.

• These two games kind of epitomize the Jalen Milroe experience at Alabama. Against Georgia, the then number two team in the nation we see him put forth one of the best games from a quarterback this season, showing off his all around tool set by nearly registering 500-yards of total offense with four touchdowns. Against Oklahoma though, in a game that should have been fairly easy despite it being on the road, we saw him complete just 11-passes while also throwing three interceptions. If everything clicks, whoever drafts Milroe will have one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks in recent memory, all I ask is that you give him time. If he was more consistent there's no doubt that he'd be in the conversation as the draft's top quarterback.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 6 @ Vanderbilt

  • Wk 8 @ no.11 Tennessee

  • Wk 11 @ no.15 LSU

6. Will Howard, Ohio State

Season - 309/423 4,010 yds 35 touchdowns 10 interceptions/105 carries 206 yds 7 touchdowns

• Has any prospect ever boosted their draft stock more because of their postseason performance than Ohio State's Will Howard? It's just crazy to think that after the Michigan game, many out there were calling for both Howard and head coach Ryan Day's head(s). Fast forward a few games and the Buckeyes stand alone atop the college football landscape as national champions, with Howard putting forth some excellent performances against some of the nation's top defenses. Just for perspective, after kicking the shit out of Tennessee, Ohio State faced two of the nation's top 10 passing defenses in Texas and Notre Dame with Oregon (who they faced in the second round) also boasting a top 15 unit in regards to total defense. Howard showed great accuracy and timing passing the ball while also making some big plays with his legs as well, most notably in the game against Notre Dame in the National Championship. The big question mark surrounding Howard is that though his playoff performance was fantastic, his play throughout the regular season was a little up and down, not bad, just up and down, as he can sometimes get caught locking in on his first read. He also doesn't necessarily possess the strongest arm in the draft and was rather shaky while throwing at the combine, but I think his timing and accuracy mixed with his athleticism, aggressiveness, and ability to make throws on the run make him a very intriguing prospect in say the third round.

Semifinal - 24/33 289 yds 1 touchdown 1 interception/7 carries 4 yds 0 touchdowns v no.3 (5) Texas (28-14 W) (College Football Playoff Semifinal)

Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good, as the late drop back by the Texas edge rusher could've seen Howard register his first interception of the game. Thankfully for both him and the rest of the Buckeyes the defender wouldn't be able to come away with the ball, with Howard fitting it into Tate for the aforementioned 14-yard gain.

This is a really solid throw in a tight window from Howard to hit Egbuka before the linebacker can make a play on the ball. Like I always talk about, in these types of situations when the window is that tight you have to put it more on the receiver's body, which is exactly what Howard did to help further extend Ohio State's drive.

Nice pump fake to suck some defenders down before delivering a nice ball into Scott between three Texas defenders for the first down. Much like the pass to Egbuka, Howard does a nice job at putting this ball more on his tight end's body rather than lead him into the path of the defender. This is a strong throw from Howard that again helped further extend Ohio State's drive.

To be honest, regardless of if there was pressure coming or not this is still a very late throw from Howard and would've probably been intercepted regardless. This is one where Howard wishes he was a little more lucky because the chances that this pass would've been completed was slim to none. Just a bad decision from Howard that gifted the ball back to Texas at the 30-yard line.

Can't ask much more from your quarterback on this play. With Texas bringing a shite ton of pressure, Howard calmly slides to his left before delivering a very nice ball to Tate for the aforementioned 18-yard gain, even getting it over the outstretched hand of the initial Longhorn defender. Just a really solid play from Howard to evade the pressure while also delivering a strike down the field for the first.

National Championship - 17/21 232 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/16 carries 57 yds 0 touchdowns v no.5 (7) Notre Dame (34-23 W) (College Football Playoff National Championship)

Very confident throw here from Howard to find Tate for the nice 15-yard gain. With a defender in his face and another in front of Tate, Howard does a nice job at getting this ball over the outstretched arm of the defender(s) while also taking enough off of it to put it right in his receiver's path. Again, just a confident throw for another first down.

Like I've talked about a thousand times before, it's always nice to see your quarterback standing tall in the pocket and delivering a strong ball despite their being pressure right in his face. Inniss may have created a decent amount of separation but Howard did an excellent job at staying tall and delivering a strike for the first down.

Nice job by Howard at not only keeping the play alive by getting outside the pocket but also sucking the defenders in to free up Judkins in the back of the end zone for the score. I know it's a simple six yard touchdown pass but the playmaking from Howard here was really nice to see, which helped the Buckeyes further extend their advantage just before halftime.

What a play to again ultimately seal the game up for the Buckeyes. With Jeremiah Smith on an island, Howard throws a perfect ball, placing it right in the bucket for what wound be a 56-yard pickup.

• Howard may not be the flashiest quarterback in this class who can boast the biggest arm, but the dude can make plays when called upon as we saw throughout the College Football Playoff. Sure Ohio State has a vast array of elite weapons at both running back and wide receiver, but the Buckeyes wouldn't have gone anywhere if not for the play of Howard, who again played near perfect against some of the best defenses in the country. He also possesses a pretty elite mentality that allows him to block out all the noise around him, as he took a decent amount of shit from fans and pundits prior to the Playoff (especially after the first Oregon game). He's got the size, accuracy, timing, and mobility that teams are looking for in mid-round quarterbacks, and I think he could turn into a solid quarterback at the next level.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 11 @ no3 Oregon

  • CFP First Round v no.9 Tennessee

  • CFP Quarterfinal v no.1 Oregon

7. Riley Leonard, Notre Dame

Season - 269/403 2,861 yds 21 touchdowns 8 interceptions/184 carries 906 yds 17 touchdowns

• Much like Jalen Milroe before, Notre Dame's Riley Leonard is one of my favorite quarterbacks in this years class. Also like Milroe, though he has all the tools to be an elite quarterback, Leonard is more known for being an overall athlete rather than a natural passer. That being said, that shouldn't come as too much of a surprise as in high school Leonard was known more for being a basketball player rather than a football player, registering more than 2,000-points throughout his career. He was going to play in the UIBL, which was shut down due to COVID, so he couldn't get the offers he was looking for in basketball. Thankfully Duke's head coach at the time, David Cutcliffe offered Leonard a football scholarship, and I guess you could say the rest is history. Throughout his time at Duke Leonard flashed his potential, being able to fit the ball through tight windows, make a ton of plays on the ground, and help turn Duke's football program back from the dark ages. Again, you could always see the potential, but it was marred with inconsistencies in regards to accuracy, as his feet would sometimes be all over the place, or just not solid. At Notre Dame Leonard put his potential on a more national stage, rushing for over 900-yards with 17-touchdowns and 2,800+ yards through the air with 21-touchdowns and eight interceptions. In the Irish's run first offense Leonard wasn't really able to let it rip as much as some may have liked, but when he was asked to make big throws, more often then not he'd make them. When everything is clicking he is really dangerous, it's just a matter of how consistent he can be.

Wk 12 - 22/33 214 yds 3 touchdowns 1 interception/8 carries 32 yds 0 touchdowns v Virginia (35-14 W)

Nice job by Leonard at getting outside the pocket once he saw nothing open down the field. Being forced out to his right with the defender coming around the edge, Leonard is able to draw another defender in before dumping it off to Evans who takes it in for the score.

Just not a great decision here by Leonard. I don't care how strong your arm is this is a damn near impossible throw to make as he's trying to fit it in a really small window between two Virginia defenders. An easy interception for the defense, stopping Notre Dame on yet another third down attempt.

This is a really strong throw down the middle of the field by Leonard to hit Harrison for the aforementioned 25-yard gain. Getting it over the top of the linebackers outstretched hand and fitting it to his receiver before the safety could make a play on the ball.

If nothing else, one skillset Leonard possesses is being able to make plays both on the run and outside the pocket. With the threat of him running always at the forefront of the defense's mind, he's able to suck them in before throwing back across his body and finding an open Williams who is able to pick up a decent amount of yards after the catch, picking up 17 in the process.

Very nice job by Leonard at sliding up in the pocket after the Virginia defender burst off the line to get into the backfield. Then once he steps up he's able to cut upfield and pick up a decent amount of yards with his legs, something he's very good at doing as I mentioned before.

National Championship - 22/31 255 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/17 carries 40 yds 1 touchdown v no.6 (8) Ohio State (34-23 L) (College Football Playoff National Championship)

Almost all of the credit on this play goes to Greathouse who did an excellent job at making multiple defenders miss on his way to the end zone. But with Ohio State bringing pressure, Leonard does a nice job at remaining calm and allowing his receiver to get open before delivering the ball for the eventual score.

This is a really strong throw by Leonard. Despite there being a defender right in his face he's able to deliver a very nice ball down the field to Greathouse for the 30-yard gain (while also getting hit). These are the throws you love to see your quarterback make. Third and nine with a defender barreling down on you, a situation where you have to convert, and Leonard does just that.

Again, very nice job by Leonard at moving around the pocket to avoid the pressure before getting the ball out to Collins for the aforementioned 12-yard gain (while getting hit again).

What a throw here by Leonard to hit his favorite receiver in the end zone again for what would result in a 30-yard touchdown, giving them each their second of the game. You really can't ask for a much better throw from your quarterback as Leonard did that a few times throughout this touchdown drive to get the game back to within one score.

• Like I mentioned before, when everything is clicking there is nothing Leonard cannot provide your offense. As we saw in the game against Ohio State you need him to run the ball nine times on the first drive of the game? You got it. You now need him to throw the ball a shit ton since you're down big late? He can do that as well, it's just again the consistency that's the issue at this point in time, but if there's a team that's willing to be patient you could have a very good quarterback on your hands. He's got a good arm, he's extremely athletic, he's tough as hell, and by all accounts is a great leader. If he's able to properly develop he could be a real problem at the next level.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 7 v Stanford

  • Wk 9 v no.24 Navy* (MetLife Stadium)

  • CFP Semifinal v no.6 Penn State

8. Kyle McCord, Syracuse

Season - 391/592 4,779 yds 34 touchdowns 12 interceptions/67 carries -65 yds 3 touchdowns

• The career of Syracuse's Kyle McCord has nothing if not eventful. Backing up future NFL rookie of the Year CJ Stroud in his first two seasons in Columbus, McCord took the reigns as the starter in 2023. Though he posted fairly decent numbers it wasn't enough for him to guarantee him his spot going into the following season. That offseason, the Buckeyes brought in Kansas State's Will Howard, with McCord heading out east to Syracuse to play for the Orange. Many people out there thought they'd never really hear from McCord again, as he took a lot of flack throughout his one season as the starter in Columbus. Now at Syracuse in a very pass happy system, McCord thrived, not only setting new school records for passing, but conference records too as he became the ACC's new record holder for passing yards in a season. McCord was electric this year, and though he may not have the strongest arm or the quickest release he makes up for it with touch and timing, as he was the best deep ball thrower in the country this past season. Much more of a natural pocket passer, not the most athletic (though no slouch) and not the most physically demanding, but he can get the ball to his receivers who can make plays after the catch.

Wk 14 - 26/36 380 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/5 carries -14 yds 0 touchdowns v no.6 Miami (FL) (42-38 W)

We've talked about this numerous times before, but I don't think most people out there understand how difficult of a throw this is. Sure the ball technically travelled five or so yards past the line of scrimmage, but throwing an out route from the near hash towards the far numbers is not an easy throw (made even more challenging by the fact that there's a defender on Gadsden's back). Just a nice and solid throw here from McCord, hitting his tight end in stride who is able to eventually pick up a first down for Syracuse.

You know me, I love a good back shoulder throw, which McCord hits on really well for the aforementioned 23-yard gain. Like I always say, the main thing I love about back shoulder throws is that it shows how in-tune the quarterback and wide receiver(s) are, as both have to be on the same page in order for them to work. Nice throw from McCord and nice adjustment by Ross-Simmons to come down with the ball for the first down, just a nice play all around for the Orange offense.

With Miami coming in to stop the run, McCord does a nice job at pulling and getting it out to his intended receiver for the completion. One thing that I like about the throw in particular is the fact that since ball is slightly behind Pena, which is exactly where it needed to be with the safety eventually crashing down towards the receiver. If McCord leads Pena upfield then the pass is likely getting intercepted, or Pena is getting his head ripped off. Again, this is a very solid throw from McCord mixed with a really nice play after the catch by Pena to get them down inside the Miami 10-yard line.

With Pena on an island on the outside and pressure in his face, McCord just launches it down the field for the eventual 50-yard gain (with Pena out muscling the defender for a few more yards after making the catch).

Though it may not be the greatest throw of all time, McCord saw another favorable match-up for his favorite receiver (leads the team in receptions though not yards) for the 25-yard touchdown.

With Miami bringing pressure again following the aforementioned sack on first down, McCord stands tall in the pocket and delivers a strike up the seam to Meeks who's able to bringing it in and get them again down towards the midfield marker. Like, McCord got hit pretty much right after he let this ball go, so again, knowing he's going to get hit he does a nice job at standing tall and delivering a nice ball down the field.

Yes it's only a slant route, and yes Gadsden picks up most of the yards after the catch, but this is an absolute rope from McCord who is able to fit it through traffic into his tight end for the eventual 25-yard gain. Though the throw and the run after the catch were nice, it wouldn't count for much as Yasin Willis would fumble the ball away on the next play, gifting the ball back to Miami at their 17-yard line.

With the safety sucking in McCord knows that he has a nice window to hit Meeks for the aforementioned 29-yard gain on first down (especially with Meeks gaining separation to the inside).

Bowl Game - 24/34 453 yds 5 touchdowns 0 interceptions/4 carries -7 yds 0 touchdowns v Washington State (52-35 W) (DirecTV Holiday Bowl)

As I've said a hundred times before, I love a good back shoulder throw. The defender had absolutely no chance to make a play on this ball as McCord got it out a half second after he faked it to the running back. Just a really solid throw and catch between quarterback and receiver that again would get them to within one (following the failed two point conversion) midway through the first.

Nice job by Gadsden at making the defender thinking he's going to the outside by pumping that way before cutting back inside, creating a fairly easy throw for McCord to again help tie the game up at 21 early on in the second quarter.

With pressure in his face McCord is still able to deliver a nice ball to Gadsden for the nice 28-yard completion. Though there's a little separation between Gadsden and the closest defender, with four in the area with one deep and one shallow there's not really that much room for error from McCord's standpoint, making this a much more difficult throw than it initially looked.

This may very well be just a five yard pass, but the closer you get to the end zone the margin for error shrinks. McCord does a nice job at getting this ball out quick with some zip on it to get it to his tight end for the touchdown that would give them a double digit lead going into halftime. If McCord doesn't get this ball out quick then the Washington State defender gets a hand to it and breaks up the pass. The window he put this ball in is pretty small, so despite it being a five yard pass, it's still impressive from McCord, giving them a 35-21 lead.

This is a very well thrown deep ball down the sideline to hit Gill for the 50-yard gain. Who knows, if Gill is able to keep his feet (asking a lot) maybe we're talking about a big time touchdown for the Orange to start the half.

• Again, though McCord may not be the most physically imposing or the most mobile quarterback out there, he makes up for it with good timing and placement that can kill a defense if you're not careful. McCord loves to push the ball down the field, and though there are times he can get a little too aggressive throwing the ball (i.e. the zero touchdown five interception game against Pitt) when everything is clicking he's as cool as they come and I'm intrigued to see where he winds up in the draft.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 2 v no.23 Georgia Tech

  • Wk 6 @ no.25 UNLV* (Allegiant Stadium)

  • Wk 9 @ no.19 Pitt

9. Quinn Ewers, Texas

Season - 293/445 3,472 yds 31 touchdowns 12 interceptions/57 carries -82 yds 2 touchdowns

• If you've listened to my show or read my blog posts enough times you would know that I sometimes don't really know what to make of Texas' Quinn Ewers. Like, I feel like every time I watch him I see a play that really impresses me and then the next is somewhat head scratching. The dude has talent, we know that as he was the top rated high school recruit back in 2021, but sometimes at Texas I felt like I was left wanting more. Look, I don't want this to sound like I think Ewers is bad by any stretch of the imagination, though there is a little bit of me that thinks he's slightly over hyped. With that, Ewers possesses one of the quickest releases out of everyone in this class, though at times he can be caught floating the ball into his receivers rather than zipping it into them. He also shows somewhat suspect pocket awareness, which I think goes more down to the scheme(s) Texas runs rather than him as he rarely had to drop back when looking to pass. Texas' quick fire system worked really well to Ewers favor as his aforementioned quick release and poise would make him a hard quarterback to work against, especially with all the speed on the outside. Durability is also a concern when it comes to Ewers as he has had two shoulder injuries as well as an oblique tear this past season. I give him credit for wanting to play through it but that sometimes led to questionable mechanics and decision making, much like we saw with Baker Mayfield during his last season in Cleveland. I think Ewers had talent, but I think to get the best out of him at the next level the scheme is going to have to be tailor made for him, as I don't see a ton of play making ability out of structure (not to say that that never happened). If he can improve his decision making and limits the turnovers (which seem to stack after the first one comes) he can be a solid player at the next level.

Wk 2 - 24/36 246 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/4 carries 0 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.10 Michigan (31-12 W)

In all honesty, Ewers is kind of lucky this ball wasn't picked off. I haven't seen from the back angle or anything, but from this main broadcast angle it seems that if the Michigan safety went for the ball rather than the hit it would've probably been going back the other way for Michigan. Now, Ewers did do a good job at placing this ball on Bond's outside shoulder, keeping it a little further away from the defender. Also, nice job by Bond at holding on to the ball after taking the hit from the safety, definitely not an easy thing to do.

Like I brought up before, very nice job by Ewers at stepping up in the pocket and delivering a nice catchable ball on the move to Helm for the touchdown. Because of Ewers' aforementioned growth in the run game, him stepping up like that actually gives the defense something to think about, sucking them up which leaves Helm even more open in the middle of the defense in the end zone.

Again, this is a very nice job by Ewers at climbing the pocket and delivering a nice ball in a gap in Michigan's defense. What makes this play even nicer is that he threw this ball right as Golden moved past the defender's inside hip, making this an even harder pass to break up.

Now, though this throw is only from five yards out, this is still an impressive play by Ewers who does an excellent job at getting depth on the roll out before putting the ball in a spot where only Golden could get it. The placement and the zip Ewers put on this ball is very impressive, despite it only being a five yard touchdown pass. All things considered, that is not an easy throw, despite Ewers making it look as such.

With pressure coming in from the right, Ewers does a nice job at standing tall and delivering a nice catchable ball to Helm for the big gain. With the defender all over Helm's back, Ewers has to make sure to lead his intended receiver and not under throw it in the slightest as it will probably be broken up. Just a nice calm pitch and catch between quarterback and tight end, resulting in another big gain for Texas.

Wk 14 - 17/28 218 yds 1 touchdown 1 interception/4 carries 29 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.20 Texas A&M (17-7 W)

Even with the bum ankle Ewers is not only able to escape a potential sack in the backfield, but able to turn it up field and pick up 26-yards with his legs (his longest run of the season by far). Had he not accidentally stepped out of bounds he would've been able to get the ball deep inside Aggie territory.

What a risky yet fantastic throw by Ewers to fit this ball into his tight end for the 14-yard gain on third and seven. I must say, Helm did an excellent job at reeling this ball in. As good of a throw as it was from Ewers, if Helm isn't aware enough to make a play on the ball it's possibly getting intercepted. The Aggies play this well, it's just too good of a throw and catch combo to stop, which helped extend Texas' drive.

No ifs or butts about it, this is a perfect deep ball by Ewers, placing it right in the bucket for Golden to come down with it for the massive 44-yard gain. Not only did he drop it perfectly, he did it in the face of pressure as well as an Aggie defender stuck his arm up right as Ewers started to release the ball.

Though this touchdown pass was only from seven yards out, this is still a perfect throw by Ewers to the back of the end zone for Blue to come down with it for the score. With the A&M defense drawn in by Isaiah Bond, clearing out the deepest part of the secondary, Blue is able to get behind his defender for Ewers to hit perfectly for six.

For whatever reason Texas A&M isn't really able to cover Wingo coming across the field, as his crossing route allows him to get behind the Aggie secondary for Ewers to hit in stride for a very nice pick up and a first down. That's why crossing routes can be so deadly, it's hard enough to guard some of these receivers, now try to guard them while they're streaking across the field at full speed.

Like I said before, Ewers does an excellent job here at evading the initial pressure before stepping up and rolling to his right which sucks the defender in and frees up Helm in behind who is able to pick up the necessary yards for the first down. It also must be said, sick hurdle by Helm after the catch as well, second hurdle we've talked about so far this blog post (the other being Tyler Warren). Overall though this was just a really savvy move by Ewers to help the Longhorns pick up a much needed first down on third and 14.

I know the ball getting tipped at the line of scrimmage caused it to go awry, but even if it hadn't it still may have been picked off and returned the other way for a touchdown. Maybe I'm reading too much into it but I still don't think it's a good throw, regardless of what happened at the line of scrimmage. Just an unfortunate situation to be in as it took points away from Texas and gave them right to A&M.

• Again, I think Ewers has talent, it's just a matter of he can stay consistent enough with it (like a lot of quarterbacks in this class I guess). He possesses a really quick release and shows good poise, I just fear somewhat for his decision making and injury history. Like I mentioned before if he gets put in the right system he could be a very good quarterback at the next level. There's something there, it's just a matter if he can get to it.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 11 v Florida

  • SEC Championship v no.5 Georgia

  • CFP Quarterfinal v no.4 Arizona State

10. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Season - 326/447 3,857 yds 30 touchdowns 6 interceptions/75 carries 149 yds 7 touchdowns

• Dillon Gabriel is a very interesting prospect. Much like Tyler Shough before, Gabriel is one of the older prospects in this year's draft, turning 25 in December. Unlike Shough though, Gabriel has stayed healthy throughout the course of career, putting forth one of the best individual statistical careers in recent memory, ranking second all time in career passing yards and joint first all time in passing touchdowns, either behind or tied with Case Keenum in both categories. With all the statistical success, one could assume that Gabriel would be one of the draft's top quarterback options, right? Well, a couple factors are going against Gabriel, and it doesn't really have a lot to do with his age. The main two factors people bring up in regards to Gabriel's draft stock is his size and his overall athletic tools. Standing at 5'11" and weighing 205 lbs., Gabriel is the smallest quarterback out of the 10 I've mentioned up to this point. He also doesn't possess the strongest arm, nor is his the most athletic in regards to running with the football. That being said, for what he 'lacks' in those categories he makes up for with a quick release and smart decision making, often playing much bigger than his 5'11" frame as he's not afraid to stand tall in the pocket and deliver nice balls down the field. There's really nothing you can throw at him that. he hasn't already seen, which makes him pretty deadly when he's given time to work.

Wk 7 - 23/34 341 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/4 carries 32 yds 1 touchdown v no.2 Ohio State (32-31 W)

Gabriel is not one to fear throwing down the middle of the field, and this throw to Evan Stewart was right on the money for a 28-yard gain. With the safety recovering back towards the middle, Gabriel has to be very careful on where he puts this ball. Though Stewart took a decent shot, Gabriel put this more on his body as to not get him even more lit up, while also avoiding a turnover or a pass breakup.

Connecting with Stewart again, this time for a 69-yard gain down the far sideline. Seeing Stewart on an island, Gabriel looked no other direction and tossed up a beautiful ball down the sideline for a big time gain.

Gabriel and Stewart connect once again, only this time it would count for six as Gabriel would hit his receiver with a beautiful throw to the back of the end zone. The dude really couldn't have placed it much better, as Oregon would get back to within two after a failed two point conversion attempt.

Great job by Gabriel at stepping up in the pocket and delivering a strike to Traeshon Holden for a 32-yard gain. Sure Holden was open down the middle of the field, but I have to give credit to Gabriel for how he stood tall in the pocket despite the ensuing pressure.

Despite pressure being right in his face, Gabriel is sable to throw a really strong ball to Stewart on the near sideline. I've said it before and I'll say it again, throws from the far hash to the near sideline are far from easy, especially with pressure in your face. But still, he's able to deliver a strike to his receiver that would help set up a field goal to give Oregon their first lead of the game.

Beautiful throw here from Gabriel, hitting the speedy Tez Johnson in stride for the score. Johnson created a good amount of separation and Gabriel didn't miss, can't ask for much more if you're the Ducks.

Gabriel may not be the most electrifying athlete in this year's class, but you still cannot give him this much open space to work with because he will kill you, going into the end zone untouched for the score.

Like I mentioned before, Gabriel is not one to be afraid to throw it across the middle of the field, delivering a strike to his tight end for an eventual 26-yard gain. Once again doing a nice job of putting this ball on his intended receiver's body to avoid them getting blown up by the safety while also avoiding a potential turnover or pass breakup. This throw would help set up the eventual game wining field goal.

Wk 15 - 22/32 283 yds 4 touchdowns 0 interceptions/6 carries 17 yds 0 touchdowns v no.3 Penn State (45-37 W) (Big Ten Championship)

Very nice quick release here from Gabriel to get the ball to his streaking tight end before the safety could come down and make a play on the ball. Though the throw itself was very nice, the main thing to focus from this highlight is the athleticism shown off here by Sadiq who is able to hurdle the first defender before taking it into the end zone for six. This was very well designed play and as usual Gabriel and co. executed it to perfection to go up seven early.

With the safety dropping back right as the ball is snapped Gabriel knows he has a window to work with between the two safeties, fitting it into Johnson who is able to pick up a good amount of yards after the catch. Also, great job by Gabriel at remaining calm in the face of pressure. With a defender jumping right in his face he is able to get the ball around him and again, deliver it to Johnson (a little behind him and more on his body which was also nice) for the eventual 31-yard gain.

With pressure coming from the right side of the offensive line and up the middle, Gabriel does a nice job at getting outside of the pocket and delivering a nice ball to Holden for a 17-yard gain. Though the stats may not show it, Gabriel is very effective once he gets outside the pocket, especially when he's rolling out to his favored left. Despite a defender giving chase, and another coming from the linebacker spot, Gabriel is able to stay calm and deliver again, a nice ball down the field.

This is very nice play by both Gabriel and Johnson as they helped Oregon regain their double digit advantage midway through the second half. After faking the handoff to his back, Gabriel is not only able to get around one of, if not the nation's top edge rushers in Abdul Carter, but also able to deliver a nice ball on the run to an open Johnson who is able to make the first defender miss before beating them to the end zone for the score.

This is once again a very nice play by Gabriel who is able to step up in a crowded pocket before delivering a strike down the field to Johnson who is able to pick up the first and more on third and nine. Also, really nice job by Johnson at shaking his defender and giving his quarterback someone to throw to in the middle of the field. Again, Gabriel stays calm, steps up in the pocket, and delivers a pass that would ultimately pick up 16 and a much needed first down.

Like I alluded to before, Gabriel may not be the biggest quarterback in this class, but here he's able to stay calm and tall in very crowded pocket (while getting hit) and deliver a nice ball to Ferguson who's able to get it down to the aforementioned 15-yard line. This is where Gabriel's experience really comes into play as he's seemingly not at all fazed by the incoming pressure.

• Playing for three different schools across three different conferences, there is absolutely nothing you could throw at Gabriel that he hasn't seen before. Though he may not be the biggest, Gabriel can make almost every throw on the field with great timing and accuracy, while also being a decent athlete on top of that. It's hard not to like him, and I'm excited to see where he ends up in the Draft.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 6 v Michigan State

  • Wk 9 v no.20 Illinois

  • CFP Quarterfinal v no.8 Ohio State

11. Kurtis Rourke, Indiana

Season - 222/320 3,042 yds 29 touchdowns 5 interceptions/46 carries -35 yds 2 touchdowns

• The Indiana/Kurtis Rourke story this past season was honestly one of the best that I can remember in recent years. It's not just the fact the Indiana was an above average team for the first time in God knows how long (which is in itself a miracle) but also how they just steam rolled pretty much everyone in front of them throughout the regular season. Like, prior to facing Michigan on November 9th, the Hoosiers won every single one of their previous games by double digits, beating six different Big Ten schools by an average of 26.6-points. I don't care how 'easy' their schedule was, Indiana does not do that, and no one in their right mind would have said that would happen at the stat of the season. With Curt Cignetti coming in with a vast array of transfers, Indiana went from 3-9 to 11-2 (their first 10+ win season in school history) while making the College Football Playoff. A big reason behind their success was because of the play of Kurtis Rourke, who became a second team All-Big Ten selection as well as would finish ninth in the Heisman Trophy voting. He is your prototypical pocket passer. Standing at 6'4", he can make every single throw on the field, excelling the most on back shoulder throws. He throws with anticipation and puts a good amount of zip on the ball as well. The only real issues are that he's not the most fleet footed quarterback as well as he's coming off ACL surgery, playing the entirety of last season on a torn ACL. Though he's not afraid to take hits in the pocket from oncoming defenders, he does struggle to get the ball out quickly when pressured, which is where his 'subpar' athleticism starts to creep through the cracks. Overall Rourke is a very talented pocket passer and could be a good later round pick for a team looking for that type of quarterback.

Wk 8 - 17/21 189 yds 1 touchdown 1 interception/3 carries 1 yd 0 touchdowns v Nebraska (56-7 W)

This may not seem like the greatest throw of all time, cause it's not, but given the situation Rourke throws a very accurate ball in the middle of the field hitting Cross in the chest for the first down. I've talked about this before, but when a receiver is coming across the middle and there's a safety over top, it's best to just put this ball right on his body rather than lead him up field. That way the receiver has enough time to get his head up and brace for the hit rather than get his head taken off by the oncoming safety. Plus, it's just a safe throw overall, don't want that thing to get picked off too.

If you know me you'd know how much I love back shoulder fades, even more so when they're run as smoothly as this one was. The reason I like this play so much is because literally everything has to be in sync for it to work. The quarterback and receiver have to be on the same page otherwise this ball is going out of bounds or it's being picked off. Not necessarily on this exact play but you get what I'm saying. Rourke did an excellent job at placing this ball towards the sideline in a spot where only his intended receiver could get to it, with Sarratt making an excellent play on the ball as well.

Everything that I said about the previous throw could apply to this one. Just a perfect throw from Rourke and an excellent catch by Cooper (through the contact) to pick up 36-yards.

Another clip, another fantastic back shoulder throw by Kurtis Rourke to help Indiana pick up a big gain for a first down. Much like another Indiana quarterback who wore number nine (though most of his success came at another school) Rourke is one of the best back shoulder throwers in the country and it was fully on display in this game, putting the ball exactly where it needed to be in order for his receiver(s) to make a play, which they consistently did.

Wk 11 - 17/28 206 yds 2 touchdowns 1 interception/5 carries -28 yds 0 touchdowns v Michigan (20-15 W)

This is an absolutely perfect throw from Kurtis Rourke, putting it high and outside, forcing his receiver to make a play on the ball, which of course he did. As the old saying goes, you can't defend a perfect pass, which sucks for Michigan as the defender had pretty good position on the play.

Again, just a perfect throw from Rourke to find Cooper in the end zone for the score. Like, it was fairly obvious that he was throwing to the right but again, you cannot defend a perfect throw. Once again, Rourke did a nice job at throwing this ball to the outside, away from the defender in a spot where only his receiver could get it.

With pressure in his face, Rourke does an excellent job at driving this ball down the field to an open Sarratt for the score. Now, it helps to have a receiver that open when you just chuck it down the field but still, nice throw from Rourke to give the Hoosiers a 14-3 lead early on in the second quarter.

Nice job by Rourke at standing tall in the pocket and waiting for his receiver to get open before delivering a strike down the field for a very nice gain. Like I mentioned before, if Cooper hadn't been tripped up this could've maybe been Rourke's third passing touchdown of the game. Allas he'd get stopped after picking up 41-yards, which I'm sure Indiana would have taken as they now had the ball in plus territory.

Rourke just got baited into making this throw. I'm sure initially he thought the Michigan defender would follow the outside receiver, instead he stayed locked on to his initial receiver, just baiting Rourke into making a poor decision. Like, the ball left Rourke's hand in a hurry, it's just a shame that the defender read him like a book and picked off the pass.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Kurtis Rourke throws the best back shoulder ball in all of college football, it's just a shame on this one that his receiver wasn't able to come down with it. Speaking of, Sarratt absolutely has to make this catch. It's a perfect throw that would get you again all the way down to the Michigan two or three yard line.

• Like I brought up before, Rourke is a prototypical pocket passer who throws with great anticipation with an excellent back shoulder ball. He may not be as mobile as most of the other quarterbacks mentioned but if he's given a clean pocket he can make you pay. I'm very intriguied to see where he ends up at the next level.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 10 @ Michigan State

  • Wk 14 v Purdue

  • CFP First Round @ no.7 Notre Dame

12. Max Brosmer, Minnesota

Season - 268/403 2,828 yds 18 touchdowns 6 interceptions/71 carries -36 yds 5 touchdowns

• One of the more experienced quarterbacks in this class, Minnesota's Max Brosmer was a three year starter up at New Hampshire before transferring to the Twin Cities this past fall. Though his numbers this past season may not resemble some of the numbers that he put up in the north east (led the FCS in passing yards), but I would say most of that goes down to head coach PJ Fleck wanted to establish the run more than push the ball down the field, registering 11-less touchdowns this past season than the one previously (though he did set a new school record for completions (268)). For what he may seemingly lack in stats compared to most of the other quarterbacks in this class, Brosmer possesses a very quick release (honestly on par with Ewers) and is a very anticipatory thrower. He is not afraid to try and fit balls through tight windows while throwing a very crisp ball. He doesn't have a cannon attached to his right arm or anything, but he can hit all the window sin the intermediate passing game. Not the most physically imposing quarterback, he lacks natural athleticism and doesn't make too make plays off script or outside the pocket. That being said, I like what Brosmer can bring to the table and is honestly one of the more fun options available in the later rounds.

Wk 9 - 26/33 320 yds 4 touchdowns 0 interceptions/0 carries 0 yds 0 touchdowns v Maryland (48-23 W)

With pressure in his face, Brosmer is able to deliver a very accurate ball to the back of the end zone, where Daniel Jackson is able to get both feet down for the score. He does a nice job at looking off the defenders to the left before flipping back to the right with the defender putting a hand right in his face. Good way to end the first drive of the game.

Excellent job at stepping up in the pocket and throwing the receiver open for the nice 28-yard gain. A lot of this is knowing your match-up(s), and when Brosmer saw a linebacker trying to track his number two receiver late, he knew he had a big gain incoming. Just a good overall play from Brosmer.

Nice and easy touchdown here for Brosmer, as theMaryland defender struggles to follow the streaking Daniel Jackson coming across the formation. Nice little side arm throw as well.

Just a nice job of Brosmer putting this ball in a spot where only his big 6'5" tight end could get it. Good job by Jameson Geers at fighting through the defender to bring this ball in as well. Sometimes you've just got to let your play makers make plays.

You know me, I love myself a good back shoulder throw, and Brosmer puts this thing right on the money, with Jackson doing a nice job at adjusting his body to come away with the ball. This would help set up a chip shot field goal right before the half.

Wk 13 - 15/23 175 yds 1 touchdown 1 interception/6 carries 3 yds 0 touchdowns v no.4 Penn State (26-25 L)

With Abdul Carter right in his face on third and 10, Brosmer remains calm and delivers a strike to Daniel Jackson for 23-yard gain between three Penn State defenders with less than a minute to go in the quarter.

This is just a really late throw here from Brosmer. He does a nice job at stepping up in the pocket and getting the ball out before the defender can get to him but again, the throw is late and behind, resulting in an interception.

Common theme here, but with pressure in his face Brosmer is still able to deliver a strike into the gap in the Penn State defense, resulting in a 23-yard gain on the first play of the second half.

This play may not look like too much at first, but this is really good play recognition by Brosmer. With the corner coming in on the blitz, Brosmer knows that he's got to get this ball out quick. Not only that, but with the safety playing overtop, this ball has to be put on the receivers body, rather than lead them up field. You can't really ask for more from your quarterback, as this was a really nice play for another first down.

Scary throw here from Brosmer as this ball leads the receiver right into the path of a heat seeking missile. Thankfully for everyone involved, Jackson was able to not only bring it in, but hold onto it through the contact, resulting in a 23-yard gain.

What a strong and confident throw from Brosmer to fit this ball into Elijah Spencer for a further 23-yards in between three Penn State defenders. With Abdul Carter in his face again, you can't really ask for a much better throw. Great hand catch by Spencer as well.

• Like I mentioned before, sure Brosmer may not be the most physically gifted quarterback in this class, he still possesses one of the quickest releases in the class and is not afraid to throw the ball through tight windows. Best when throwing the intermediate passes, I think Brosmer is a very good option for teams picking a quarterback in the later rounds.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 4 v Iowa

  • Wk 7 @ UCLA

  • Wk 14 @ Wisconsin

13. Cam Miller, North Dakota State

Season - 258/351 3,251 yds 33 touchdowns 4 interceptions/145 carries 631 yds 12 touchdowns

• One of the most experienced quarterbacks in this class, North Dakota State's Cam Miller has made an impressive 56-starts and appeared in 67-games throughout his time in college. Just to put things in perspective Bo Nix, last year's 12th overall pick, made 61-appearances throughout his time at both Auburn and Oregon. With that experience, Miller is one of the better dual threat quarterbacks in this class, sting three straight seasons of 500+ yards rushing where he also registered 12+ touchdowns in each of those. Known mostly for being a runner through his first four seasons (which makes sense in North Dakota State's system), Miller really made strides as a passer this past season, setting new career highs in completions, attempts, passing yards, and passing touchdowns (and even rushing yards) as he led the Bison to their first title since 2021. A great athlete, Miller relies more on ball placement then arm strength, as he is one of the best overall decision makers in this class. That being said his level of competition and measurables (6'1" 215 lbs.) may scare some teams off, but the dude is a gamer and will provide any team with experience and excellent decision making.

FCS Playoff Semifinal - 13/19 179 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/15 carries 93 yds 1 touchdown v no.3 South Dakota State (28-21 W)

Great job by Miller at starting to the left before working back to the right as that drew the safety more inside which made for an easier throw to Bryce Lance down the far sideline. With a defender tight on him, Miller places this ball perfectly to the outside in a spot where only Lance can get it, which he does, resulting in a 30-yard gain on third and 10.

Nice recognition by Miller, seeing that his best receiver was on an island in press man to the far side of the field. You really couldn't have asked for a much better look, which resulted in a layup from 21-yards out to give the Bison their first lead of the game.

Just a strong and confident throw from Miller to Lance on third down. With the pocket collapsing and a lineman getting pushed into him, Miler still is able to get this ball to his receiver on the outside before the defender can make a play on it. Solid play that helped extend the drive.

Another well thrown deep ball to Lance for another Bison touchdown. Miller was looking his way the entire time, and it's hard to blame him. Like, you're really going to have your linebacker try and track one of the better receivers in the FCS? It's too easy for the Bison, which gave them the lead at the start of the fourth.

You get a lot of designed quarterback runs with Cam Miller, with this 25-yard run (plus the 15-yard personal foul penalty) taking them from their own 25 to the South Dakota State 35.

What a throw and what a catch between quarterback and wide receiver on this play. Initially ruled incomplete, I would have included this play regardless of if it ended up counting or not, cause the placement from Miller is damn near perfect. This play, once ruled a touchdown would ultimately give the Bison the win.

FCS National Championship - 19/22 199 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/18 carries 121 yds 2 touchdowns v no.1 Montana State (35-32 W)

I've said it before and I'll say it again, throws from the far hash to the near sideline (or vice versa) are far from easy throws. Though it required a diving catch by RaJa Nelson, the throw from Miller was solid and helped pick up 22-yards.

Even though this was from 64-yards out, this is still one of the easiest rushing touchdowns Cam Miller will ever score. With the safeties sliding to the outside, no one was in the middle of the field, which Miller took full advantage of. No one was even close to touching Miller, let alone tackle him, which allowed the Bison to double their lead in the first.

Though this play didn't result in a touchdown (that would come a play later) this is still a very impressive throw from Miller to fit it into Lance before the defender could break on it. Starting left than working back to the right, with a hand in his face, you can't ask for a much better throw from your quarterback that would again set up a one yard touchdown pass.

Excellent job by Miller at recognizing the match-up and seeing that his best receiver was on an island on third and six. Great diving catch by Lance and solid throw from Miller to put it in a spot where only his receiver could make a play on it. Miller would register another passing touchdown a couple plays later to give them a 10-point lead. They would ultimately go on to win the National Championship.

• Miller may not have the biggest arm in this class, and he may have not faced the highest level of competition but his experience, decision making, and athleticism make him a very intriguing prospect in the later rounds.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 1 @ Colorado

  • Wk 8 v no.1 South Dakota State

  • Wk 12 v no.14 Missouri State

14. Seth Henigan, Memphis

Season - 309/477 3,502 yds 25 touchdowns 6 interceptions/80 carries 190 yds 1 touchdown

• Out of all the quarterbacks in this class, Memphis' Seth Henigan probably holds the most individual schools records. A four year starter who played for the same head coach and same offensive coordinator his entire career, Henigan holds the school record for wins, completions, attempts, completion percentage, yards, and touchdowns, breaking his own school record in attempts in a season this past time out. Apart from his jersey number (which he changed every year at Memphis) he is one of the most loyal to the soil quarterbacks in this class, being one of only three quarterbacks out of the top 15 to have never transferred (Jalen Milroe and Cam Miller). A model of consistency, Henigan rarely has an off game, registering a touchdown pass in 41-consecutive games (tied with Marcus Mariota for second longest streak of all time). Though he doesn't have an elite arm, his anticipation and pocket awareness make him one of the more intriguing prospects in the class. Always on time though not the most electric athlete (not bad though as he did run a 4.76 at the Combine), Henigan has the makings of your typical later round prospect.

Wk 14 - 22/29 218 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/11 carries 10 yds 0 touchdowns @ no.17 Tulane (34-24 W)

This route took a little time to develop, but with that Henigan does a very nice job at sliding with the protection and allowing his back to get open for the eventual score. With a step on his defender, as a quarterback your main job is just not to miss him, which Henigan didn't to give Memphis the early lead.

This is a very smart play from Henigan. On third and six, some quarterbacks may have tried to force something down the field, which could've led to a sack or a turnover. Instead of doing that, Henigan smartly takes the open check down, with Greg Desrosiers Jr. taking it in from 25yards out to give the Tigers the lead in the second quarter.

I know this isn't the flashiest play ever as it only went for five yards or so, but this is an excellent job of Henigan again taking what the defense gave him. Sliding up to avoid the pressure before dumping it off to the open man. This is just smart quarterback play from him, which led to a Memphis field goal.

Like I mentioned before, sure Henigan may not be the most electric athlete, but the dude can make plays with his feet when called upon, like he did right here to help ultimately ice the game. He's what I would like to call 'fast enough,' not Jalen Milroe but not a meat statue either. Great pick up on second and 13.

Bowl Game - 18/26 294 yds 2 touchdowns 0 interceptions/8 carries 61 yds 0 touchdowns v West Virginia (42-37 W) (Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl)

This 23-yard scamper would be the longest rush play for Henigan this past season. On third and four, the edge rusher crashed so hard that it would have been almost impossible for Henigan not to pick up a solid amount of yards, especially with the corner still tracking the receiver. Again, he doesn't have crazy speed or anything, but he is fast enough. That would lead to a four yard yard hand toss to for the Mario Anderson Jr for their first touchdown of the game.

What a throw here by Henigan on third and nine from their own side of the 50. With a defender right in his face, Henigan is able to deliver a beautiful ball to Roc Taylor for a completely flipping the field in the process. Really can't ask for a better throw right there.

Another third down situation, another defender in his face, another beautiful ball down the sideline to Roc Taylor for a 35-yard gain. Again, you just can't for a better throw from your quarterback given the situation, especially with two defenders nearby in coverage.

With the corner sucked in, Henigan is able to hit a fairly open for the Demeer Blankumsee 18-yard touchdown. Though he was decently open, you still couldn't have placed the ball much better than that if you're Henigan, away from the defender and in a spot where only the receiver can make a play on it.

This is like the third time this has happened during this game, with Henigan connecting with Roc Taylor for a big gain with a defender right in his face. The only difference between this one and the previous two is that it's not on third dow, but again the result is pretty much the same. Making a statement to start the second half.

I absolutely love this play design. With the edge rusher crashing, Henigan smartly pulls and looks to cut upfield, only for the corner to also crash down leaving Demeer Blankumsee open in behind. By the time the safety realized he was throwing it it was too late, just a damn shame that this play dind't result in six, that would come a play later thanks to a one yard run by Brandon Thomas. Memphis would go onto win 42-37.

• Henigan is the model of consistency. He may not have any real elite traits, but he again has great pocket awareness and throws with good anticipation. Like I mentioned before he's what a lot of teams look for in later round quarterbacks. He's just really solid all the way around.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 4 @ Navy

  • Wk 8 v North Texas

  • Wk 11 @ UTSA

15. Graham Mertz, Florida

Season - 72/94 791 yds 6 touchdowns 2 interceptions/18 carries 56 yds 1 touchdown

• The final quarterback on this list is Florida's Graham Mertz. I may be alone in this, but it feels like Mertz has been playing college football forever. Like, does anyone else remeber his rather insane game against Illinois back in 2020? A game that saw him go 24/25 with 248-yds and a whopping five touchdowns. It felt like Wisconsin had a real gem on their hands, only for Mertz to register four touchdowns and five interceptions the remaining six games of the season while only throwing for more than 200-yards twice in that same time frame. He struggled with consistency during his final season at Wisconsins before transferring to Florida where he was able to find some solid footing, setting new career highs in completions, attempts, completion percentage, yards, touchdowns, and a new career low in interceptions. Primed for a solid season Mertz battled injuries, getting a concussion week one against Miami (FL) before tearing his ACL against Tennessee, only appearing in five games, mostly splitting time with freshman DJ Lagway. Despite this, Mertz is a good athlete who can extend plays when needed and is a solid decision marker who doesn't force the issue all too much (unlike what he did at Wisconsin). Though he's a better decision maker overall his accuracy can be a little iffy at times, especially when he's off his first read. If he can get and stay healthy, while staying the course like he did at Florida, then I think he could be a solid player at the next level.

Wk 4 - 19/21 201 yds 3 touchdowns 0 interceptions/3 carries 24 yds 1 touchdown @ Mississippi State (45-28 W)

Like I said before, Mertz is a very solid athlete who can create things outside the pocket when needed. Like, earlier in the drive he would pick up 16-yards on the ground, though I think this one is more impressive as pressures him right as he rolls outside the pocket. Just a solid pickup that would ultimately set up a three yard touchdown pass from Mertz to Arlis Boardingham to give them their first lead of the game.

Nice work on the pump fake by Mertz as that froze the defender dead in his tracks, allowing Marcus Burke to create a good amount of separation for the easy throw and catch. Couldn't really ask for a much easier touchdown that that if you're a Florida fan.

Mertz's 12th straight completion results in his third passing touchdown of the game for Florida. I know I said the last touchdown was easy, but would you say this one was easier as Hayden Hansen didn't really have many defenders around him? I would say no just because of the safety over top, which Mertz does a nice job at avoiding by putting this ball more on Hansen's body rather than lead him into the path of the defender.

Nice and calm throw here from Mertz, getting it to Chimere Dike with two Bulldog defenders around for a 28-yard gain. Very confident throw from Mertz, helping the Gators get down to the 17-yard line. Mertz would punch it in from a yard out a few plays later. Florida would go onto win 45-28.

Wk 6 - 19/23 179 yds 1 touchdown 0 interceptions/3 carries 11 yds 0 touchdowns v UCF (24-13 W)

What a way to cap off an impressive opening drive. 15-plays, 75-yards, and ending with a Graham Mertz touchdown pass. Nice job by Mertz at sliding up in the pocket after the fake, as well as keeping his eyes down field to find his open receiver for the easy touchdown.

Excellent job by Mertz at recognizing the rushing coming off the edge and getting around him before delivering a very nice ball to Elijhah Badger for an 18-yard gain. A very athletic play from Mertz to get outside the pocket and around the rusher with a strong throw in traffic to boot, just a fun play to watch.

I understand is Tank Hawkins open on the hash, but Mertz still has to remain calm in a collapsing pocket and deliver a strike to the freshman for the eventual 31-yard gain. Not to mention there's a defender in his face as he lets this ball go. Just a solid play for a big gain.

Sometimes as a quarterback you've just got to let your playmakers make plays, which is exactly what Chimere Dike did on this 24-yard play. Back peddling with a defender right in his face, Mertz is able to toss up a decent ball for Dike to come down with. I wouldn't say do this everytime as a quarterback, but he trusted Dike and he came through.

• Graham Mertz is one of the more interesting prospects in this year's draft. He battled trhough injuries during his final season at Florida while also splitting time with the aforementioned DJ Lagway, which makes his numbers the lowest out of anyone else in this class by a fairly wide margin. Despite that, Mertz is a good decision maker, constantly taking what the defense gives him, while also being a pretty decent athlete who is able to make plays off script. I don't know if he'll get drafted, but I still expect him to make a team in some capacity this coming season.

• Other Key Games

  • Wk 1 v no.19 Miami (FL)

  • Wk 3 v Texas A&M

  • Wk 7 @ no.8 Tennessee

Others

• Connor Bazelak, Bowling Green

  • Season - 269/402 3,044 yds 18 touchdowns 5 interceptions/48 carries -91 yds 2 touchdowns

• Brady Cook, Missouri

  • Season - 201/321 2,535 yds 11 touchdowns 2 interceptions/87 carries 223 yds 5 touchdowns

• Hunter Dekkers, Iowa Western CC

  • Season - 288/499 3,806 yds 32 touchdowns 10 interceptions/44 carries -11 yds 1 touchdown

• Ethan Garbers, UCLA

  • Season - 235/363 2,727 yds 16 touchdowns 11 interceptions/83 carries 136 yds 1 touchdown

• Tommy Mellott, Montana State

  • Season - 204/301 2,783 yds 31 touchdowns 2 interceptions/123 carries 1,050 yds 15 touchdowns

• Spencer Petras, Utah State

  • Season - 214/327 2,315 yds 17 touchdowns 11 interceptions/36 carries 35 yds 1 touchdown

• Will Rogers, Washington

  • Season - 220/311 2,458 yds 14 touchdowns 7 interceptions/34 carries -79 yds 0 touchdowns

• Donovan Smith, Houston

  • Season - 87/133 867 yds 4 touchdowns 8 interceptions/65 carries 140 yds 3 touchdowns

• Payton Thorne, Auburn

  • Season - 199/317 2,713 yds 21 touchdowns 9 interceptions/112 carries 283 yds 2 touchdowns

• DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State

  • Season - 84/156 1,065 yds 4 touchdowns 6 interceptions/37 carries -8 yds 0 touchdowns

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