The 2025 NFL Draft is on the horizon, which means prospect buzz is at an all-time high. Quarterback is the most important position in football, and several will be selected in this year’s draft. While quarterbacks selected in the first round have the expectation of being franchise players, prospects taken on day two of the draft have more uncertainty. They stand in the middle ground of eventual starter and likely backup.
I wrote a 2024 piece on last year’s class here. There was no quarterback selected on day two of the 2024 NFL Draft, indicating no team felt the second and third rounds were worth taking a chance on a backup that could eventually start.
Day 2 Quarterback History
The updated list of day two quarterbacks is unceremoniously still 12 selected in the last seven drafts:
- 2024: None
- 2023: Will Levis (Titans), Hendon Hooker (Lions)
- 2022: Desmond Ridder (Falcons), Malik Willis (Titans), Matt Corral (Panthers)
- 2021: Kyle Trask (Bucs), Kellen Mond (Vikings), Davis Mills (Texans)
- 2020: Jalen Hurts (Eagles)
- 2019: Drew Lock (Broncos), Will Grier (Panthers)
- 2018: Mason Rudolph (Steelers)
The most successful recent day two quarterback is Jalen Hurts. He started his career backing up Carson Wentz and coming into games for mostly run plays. Eventually, the veteran Wentz’s inefficient play led to Hurts starting as he finished his rookie year completing just 52-percent of his passes. The Eagles stuck with him his sophomore year and built an offensive juggernaut to adapt to Hurts’ style of play. This included building an offensive line that was named PFF’s best in the league in 2024.
Other day two quarterbacks did not have the same team building from front offices, nor the skills to lift lackluster rosters. Several of the teams that selected these quarterbacks wound up taking one in the first round within a few years anyways (Texans, Vikings, Falcons, Titans with Cam Ward this year). If teams really like a player, they will spend the extra draft capital to take him in the first-round, getting a fifth-year option and placing some confidence in that evaluation. Teams can still have a confident evaluation in the second and third rounds, but more as stopgaps that are dispensable as starters. Some succeed as starters (Hurts) and others are yanked when they don’t work out (Levis, Ridder, Willis) and many have careers as backups (Rudolph, Lock). There are several quarterbacks who could go on day two and become quality producers at the next level.
2025 QB Prospects
The 2025 draft class is weaker than last year’s and has less potential first-round picks. Miami’s Cam Ward is the top prospect with Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders not far behind in the first-round projections. That leaves Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart as the first fringe first-round prospect. Three to five QBs selected in the first is an increasing norm, meaning there is a good chance Dart goes in the first. He gets the highest of honorable mentions for this piece and looks to be headed towards a late first to early second round selection.
Kyle McCord, Syracuse
Finishing his college career with a 453-yard, five-touchdown performance in a Holiday Bowl victory, Kyle McCord is set to enter the NFL at 22-years-old. McCord transferred to Syracuse from Ohio State and posted an ACC-record 4,779 passing yards in 2024. His 90.5 PFF Grade ranks No. 4 among the draft quarterbacks, behind the three potential first-rounders. As a pocket passer, McCord will be a distributor to run a system, rather than having an offense run through him.
Teams like the Saints, Raiders, or others with veteran starters could target McCord as a capable backup on a rookie contract. His floor is that of a system manager who can range into spot starts, but he will need to develop to have the ceiling of a long-term franchise starter.
Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Spending two seasons as Alabama’s starter, Jalen Milroe has built out a dual-threat skillset. He rushed for 1,267 yards in those two seasons, leading the Crimson Tide with 726 rushing yards in 2024. He set Alabama’s single-season record for rushing touchdowns, displaying athleticism teams would love to develop. Milroe is physical and fast as a ball-carrier, running a 4.40 40-yard dash at his pro day.
However, Milroe’s passing will need improvement. He completed 65.8-percent of his passes with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions as a junior but stepped back to completing 64.3-percent of his passes for less touchdowns and more interceptions his senior year. Unpolished in his reads and accuracy, Milroe is not a starter-level passer yet.
Milroe received an invite to the NFL draft, indicating he has suitors before day three and potentially in the first round. Teams who believe in his dual-threat ceiling could invest high draft capital in Milroe, especially those with veteran starters Milroe can develop behind for at least one season.
Tyler Shough, Louisville
Though he is turning 26-years-old this fall, Tyler Shough provides intrigue as a developed prospect. He finished last season with 3,195 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a PFF grade of 87.4. Shough displayed arm strength with home run plays and ranked No. 3 in the ACC with 8.2 passing yards per attempt.
The fact that he has just one full season as a starter, along with his injury history and draft age, has knocked Shough down draft boards. Seven college seasons means Shough has been able to polish his game but also puts a cap on his ceiling at the next level. NFL teams will look to take him as a serviceable backup who can start if needed. Shough may not be a franchise quarterback but will be a capable player for a team looking for a quality backup or short-term starter.
Honorable Mentions and Volatility
Quarterbacks who could sneak into day two include Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, Ohio State’s Will Howard, and Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard. All four of these players have traits teams can use in their quarterback rooms. All have experienced success in college.
Gabriel has a lot of college experience an NFL team will find useful for a capable backup. Howard and Ewers have been a part of successful teams and have traits to develop. Leonard has dual-threat ability NFL teams will find useful in quarterback rooms.
The draft is volatile and these prospects could end up anywhere, including some finding their way into the back of the first. While the Titans seem destined for Cam Ward at No. 1, other quarterbacks have volatility in terms of where they will be selected. Shedeur Sanders looks to be a likely bet to go early first round, while Jaxson Dart is headed for the late first or early second round. Several teams will look to add competition to the quarterback room and take one of the aforementioned players to be a quality backup and make some spot starts, or to develop into an eventual starter.
