Tag: quarterbacks

Dec 15, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Payton Wilson (41) sacks Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) in the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Tua Tagovailoa embraces ‘fresh start,’ competition with Falcons

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Tua Tagovailoa said he welcomes the chance to compete for the starting quarterback job in a new NFL city and reboot his career.

The Miami Dolphins selected Tagovailoa with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, signed him to a massive contract extension and then released him last month. He signed a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, where he’s expected to compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job.

“Last year wasn’t the best year for me, and I’m looking for a fresh start in the sense of being able to compete, go back out and play good football,” Tagovailoa said Tuesday, speaking in public for the first time about his career change of course.

The Falcons signed him to a one-year, $1.2 million deal — the veteran minimum — while the Falcons will pay him the more than $50 million he is still owed from the four-year, $212.4 million extension he signed in July 2024.

“The best thing for me right now is making the best of this opportunity that I have with the team in terms of the relationships I make with these guys,” he said. “I get to freaking play football. This is what I dreamed of my entire life. I am going to be present. I’m going to be in the moment. I’m going to be where my feet are.”

Penix, who began the 2025 season as the Falcons’ starter, tore an ACL in Week 11 and missed the rest of the season.

“Everybody, not just those two, is coming in to compete. There are no starters right now,” general manager Ian Cunningham said on March 10, when Tagovailoa joined the Falcons. “We are excited to have Tua, but we’re excited to have all the players we were able to get (via free agency).”

Tagovailoa, 28, said he is OK with competing with Penix.

“Competition is just a thing in the NFL. I am no stranger to competition — had it in college,” Tagovailoa said. “I would say competition is just going to be there, and competition enhances the play of everyone. I don’t think the mindset changes at all. … I embrace the competition. I am excited to work alongside Mike.”

The NFL’s leading passer and a Pro Bowl selection in 2023, Tagovailoa compiled a 44-32 record in six seasons in Miami. He has completed 68.0% of his throws for 18,166 yards with 120 touchdowns and 59 interceptions.

The 2023 season is the only one of his six campaigns in which he appeared in every game. His career has been interrupted by a variety of injuries, including at least three known concussions while in the NFL.

Penix, 25, is 4-8 as a starter, completing 59.6% of his passes for 2,757 yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. Atlanta selected him No. 8 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The agent for veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday that Siemian, 34, also is joining the Falcons’ QB room.

Terms weren’t disclosed for Siemian, who last appeared in an NFL regular-season game in 2023 with the New York Jets. He spent most of the 2024 and 2025 campaigns on the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad.

–Field Level Media

Oct 11, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) stands on the field during a warmup prior to the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Three QBs with everything to gain at the NFL Scouting Combine

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Quarterbacks are king in the NFL draft. Traits are king at the NFL Scouting Combine.

As the top of the draft comes into focus over the next several weeks, the position of No. 2 quarterback behind likely No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza is up for grabs in the Class of 2026.

Separation starts this week.

Quarterbacks take center stage at the combine with throwing sessions this weekend and have a chance to make strong first impressions in interviews with teams before they’re on the field.

A few promising quarterbacks are vying to make the jump with either elite-level scrambling ability and athleticism or howitzer-level arm strength.

Here are three passers with a chance to raise their stock this week:

Drew Allar, Penn State
The 2025 season was a disappointment for the Nittany Lions with a 7-6 record and the end of the tenure of longtime coach James Franklin.

Part of the reason for the misfire: Allar was hurt in the middle of the season.

The team’s highly touted five-star recruit and expected Heisman contender in 2025 has largely recovered from a broken ankle. Now his goal is repairing his draft stock in the face of new questions and some that trailed him for four years at Penn State. He’s not going to calm concerns about pocket presence or performance in the clutch this week.

Still, Allar can rebound. He has crazy arm talent and better-than-expected mobility. While it’s unlikely Allar runs because of the ankle, he has athleticism to further help his case.

Taylen Green, Arkansas
Green’s college football tenure had dramatic highs and tragic lows. At Boise State, he led the Broncos to 10 wins in 2022. After a down year in 2023, he transferred to Arkansas after losing the Broncos’ QB1 role to Maddux Madsen.

Green delivered the Razorbacks a winning season, putting up career highs in passing yards and touchdowns. In 2025, another step back.

The flashes are gold. The velocity his throws generate when he has his shoulder square and feet planted is pro-plus, and he’s a live danger to defenses because of his scrambling ability and straight-line speed. That’s why the combine is the perfect place to build Green’s stock. If he chooses to run the 40, he’ll be hard to ignore and will likely make himself some money as a potential top-50 selection.

Cole Payton, North Dakota State
Payton flew under the radar at North Dakota State, especially because the Bison bounced out of the playoffs pretty early in comparison to their usual success.

Payton is not to blame. He willed that offense to victory time and time again, able to use his legs to extend plays as the offensive line broke down around him. He moves easily around and outside of the pocket with impressive stature.

Not many scouts left the Senior Bowl doubting Payton. He can double down on the rising stock in passing drills with great layering and anticipation that stood out during his FCS career.

–Dean Bruce, Field Level Media

Jan 31, 2026; Mobile, AL, USA; National quarterback Cole Payton (9) of North Dakota State throws the ball during the second half of the 2026 Senior Bowl at University of South Alabama, Hancock Whitney Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Top 5 Quarterback prospects in 2026 NFL Draft

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Ahead of the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, Field Level Media draft analysts ranked the top prospects at every position.

There is only one quarterback — Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner who helped the Hoosiers claim the national title — worthy of a first-round grade.

But quarterbacks rise as the draft closes in and reality hits the teams without a certifiable QB at the center of their plans.

Which one — or two? — could rise in 2026?

Quarterbacks are on the road to the draft with the NFL Scouting Combine next week, arriving in Indianapolis on Wednesday and Thursday for medical evaluations. They’ll conduct media sessions on Friday and be on the field Saturday for position drills, agility tests and the 40-yard dash.

Pro days often take precedent at this position. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza plans to hold off on throwing until the on-campus workout and pro day in Bloomington on April 1.

1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
6-5, 225
Tall, well-built pocket passer with quick release and rapid, high-level processing speed. Wins with excellent anticipation, accuracy and ball placement.

2. Ty Simpson, Alabama
6-2, 208
Well-rounded with adequate arm strength, accuracy, even as a one-year starter who battled inconsistency and ended the season hurt (ribs).

3. Taylen Green, Arkansas
6-6, 225
If he runs a 4.5 and would consider changing positions, there will be some interest. Green might prefer to utilize his genetic lottery-winning trains — exceptional size and speed — to give QB a try. He’s the very definition of boom-or-bust.

4-T. Carson Beck, Miami
6-4, 220
Wins with accuracy and ball placement and is tough as a blitz-beating pocket passer. Arm strength isn’t elite.

4-T. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
6-1, 215
NFL bloodlines and ties with current Saints offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier. He’s a known commodity to pro teams and two-year starter in the SEC. But injuries led to sloppy mechanics and poor production last season, when he wound up sharing the QB1 role. Earned back some points with a strong Senior Bowl, but the final grade depends almost entirely on which team is doing the math.

5. Cade Klubnik, Clemson
6-1, 210
With footwork and athletic tools, Klubnik is a pro system QB candidate because of his accuracy on short and intermediate throws. His height, top-end arm talent and deep ball accuracy limit his ceiling.

–Finding a wildcard at quarterback has forever been a front-office mission in the NFL. This year’s mid-round find could come from North Dakota State. Cole Payton, a pocket passer who thrived in the FCS with an attack mentality, can also move if the system calls for mobility or RPO-based action. Trust he will be opening eyes during QB throwing sessions at Lucas Oil Stadium. The southpaw stuck with NDSU despite hearing from Nebraska and other FBS programs late in his senior season and it has begun paying off. He got a lot of attention in Mobile at the Senior Bowl for his timing and arm talent.

–Field Level Media

New Kentucky offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan coaches during practice Friday. August 2, 2024, in Lexington. Hamdan came from Boise State; he's also coached at Missouri, the Atlanta Falcons and Florida as well.

Reports: Dolphins hiring Mississippi State’s Bush Hamdan as QB coach

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The Miami Dolphins are hiring Mississippi State associate head coach Bush Hamdan as the team’s quarterbacks coach, according to multiple reports Friday.

Hamdan only landed the Mississippi State position in December and also was to coach the team’s wide receivers.

The 40-year-old has 17 years of coaching experience, largely in the college ranks. Most recently, he was the quarterbacks coach at Missouri from 2020-22 and the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, Boise State, in 2023 and moved to Kentucky as OC in 2024.

Hamdan has one year of coaching experience in the NFL, having served as the QBs coach for the Atlanta Falcons in 2017 when Matt Ryan threw for 4,095 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

The Hamdan hire was not the Dolphins’ first attempt to fill the quarterbacks coach position.

Miami originally hired former Broncos head coach and Packers offensive assistant Nathaniel Hackett before he took the offensive coordinator position under new Arizona Cardinals’ head coach Mike LaFluer.

The Dolphins also wanted to interview Detroit Lions offensive assistant Bruce Gradkowski for quarterbacks coach position, but the Lions blocked the interview, according to multiple reports.

Hamdan faces an uncertain quarterbacks’ room in Miami, where the future of starter Tua Tagovailoa is still up in the air. Miami general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said Thursday at a fan event that the Dolphins are “getting close to a decision” on Tagovailoa and that the team would be looking at other quarterbacks in this year’s draft.

Quinn Ewers, a seventh-round pick in last year’s draft, is the other quarterback currently under contract in Miami.

Regardless of the Tagovailoa decision, Sullivan said he expects significant competition among quarterbacks.

“I don’t know what the future holds right now, and I told Tua that. We’re working through some things,” Sullivan said. “What I can tell you is that we’re going to infuse competition into that room, whether Tua is part of the room, whether he’s not part of the room. We’re going to infuse competition into that room, like we will do in every other position,” Sullivan said.

“… You can rest assured that we will add competition to that room, one way or the other, to make it the best that we can.”

–Field Level Media

Report: QB LaNorris Sellers staying at South Carolina

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LaNorris Sellers and South Carolina are in the final stages of negotiations for the quarterback to return to the school in 2026, ESPN reported Saturday.

The deal should be finalized soon, per the report.

Sellers, 20, will be a redshirt junior with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

The 247Sports composite listed him as a four-star recruit and the No. 18 QB prospect in the nation in the Class of 2023.

The South Carolina native had been considered a first-round NFL draft prospect for 2026 but apparently has decided to put that move off at least one year following a disappointing season.

Sellers finished well behind other quarterbacks in key statistical categories in 2025. His 2,437 passing yards ranked No. 61, and he threw just 13 touchdown passes, tied for 75th among FBS quarterbacks. He was intercepted eight times and sacked 42 times as South Carolina finished 4-8 (1-7 Southeastern Conference).

Offensive coordinator Mike Shula was fired and replaced by Kendal Briles, who spent the past three seasons as the associate head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at TCU, where the Horned Frogs were among the leaders in many offensive categories.

–Field Level Media

QB question marks abound as Jets prepare for Jaguars

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Ailing New York Jets quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields will not practice Wednesday, with undrafted rookie Brady Cook taking all the reps, head coach Aaron Glenn told reporters.

Taylor is dealing with a groin issue that forced him to leave the 34-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins last Sunday. With demoted starter Justin Fields dealing with knee soreness, Cook made his NFL debut in relief of Taylor.

Cook, 24, was 14-of-30 passing for 163 yards with two interceptions and six sacks.

Glenn did not name Cook as the starter for the Jets (3-10) on the road against the Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4) this Sunday. The opportunity for Cook to build “continuity” with the first-team offense would be invaluable for the rookie, Glenn said.

“It will be good for him, but we’ll see how this week progresses when it comes to our quarterback situation,” Glenn said.

On the season, the Jets have completed 223 of 370 pass attempts (60.3%) for 1,904 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. New York is the only NFL team not to have eclipsed the 2,000-yard passing mark.

–Field Level Media

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) runs for a short gain during NFL training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Berea, Ohio.

Browns QBs Shedeur Sanders, Tyler Huntley to take reps in preseason opener

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Rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders will start the preseason opener Friday when the Cleveland Browns meet the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C.

Coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed the move on Wednesday.

The Browns have five quarterbacks in camp, but only two — Sanders and newly signed Tyler Huntley — are expected to play against the Panthers.

Kenny Pickett and rookie Dillon Gabriel are nursing hamstring injuries, and Stefanski and staff already know what 40-year-old Joe Flacco can do.

Stefanski said a number of veterans are unlikely to take the field.

“It’s a great opportunity for all of our young players in that football game,” he said.

The Browns selected Gabriel, 24, in the third round of the draft from Oregon and Sanders, 23, in the fifth round from Colorado. Sanders, who played for his father, Deion Sanders, in college, had been considered a first-round talent.

Huntley, 27, started five games last season with the Miami Dolphins in place of an injured Tua Tagovailoa. He had a 2-3 record, completing 86 of 133 pass attempts for 829 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Cleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett (8) throws during NFL training camp practice at the Cleveland Browns training facility, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Berea, Ohio.

Kenny Pickett takes first-team reps, Browns GM open to keeping 4 QBs

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Quarterback Kenny Pickett operated the first-team offense in the Browns’ controlled team scrimmage and 11-on-11 work as training camp started this week.

Joe Flacco did not take snaps in the full team work with rookie Dillon Gabriel lined up at quarterback with the second team and Shedeur Sanders sliding in behind him for third-team reps. Deshaun Watson began training camp on the physically unable to perform list and is not participating in on-field work.

That only mildly narrows the options for Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who said he’ll take all 46 days from the start of training camp to the Sept. 7 regular-season opener to make his call on the QB1 if necessary.

“I have a plan that’s in pencil, and we have to take in information every single day, take in how guys are handling certain situations, and then adjust from there. But we’ll get to those types of decisions later on,” Stefanski said. “I think the big thing for me is putting our guys in a position where we can evaluate them. I think they did a great job in the spring. All four of those guys, I will continue to put them in some situations, but ultimately, we’d love to make decisions sooner than later.”

Flacco, in his 18th NFL season, knows Stefanski’s offense from his 2023 run with the Browns. And he knows how to pace himself as a professional through the dog days of camp.

For that reason, he’ll be in a rotation for reps, which gives the Browns more exposure to the three contenders for playing time who are largely new to the franchise. All three were acquired in the offseason. Pickett, landed by Cleveland in a trade with the Eagles, is a relatively known commodity from his time with the division-rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Gabriel, drafted in the third round after a stellar 13-1 season at Oregon in 2024, and former Colorado star Sanders (fifth-round pick) are getting up to speed as quickly as possible.

The charge to get the QB position fixed comes straight from the top. Franchise owner Jimmy Haslam was blunt and direct in assessing the Browns “thought we had the quarterback, we didn’t” in retrospect reviewing the Watson deal with the Houston Texans. Watson is recovering from a season-ending Achilles that he reinjured in January and might not play in 2025.

Re-enter Flacco, who signed after spending last season with the Indianapolis Colts and is expected to be the starter in Week 1.

Now in his second tour with the franchise, he said he understands the long view of the position will tell a different story for the Browns, but he is spending July and August dialed in only on what he can control.

“You know, it’s tough to have expectations,” Flacco said. “I think there’s been some communication between probably all the quarterbacks and Kevin. So, yeah, I guess I know a little bit what to expect, at least for the next week. But you can’t ask me. It’s hard for me to tell what it’s going to look like, you know, two, three weeks from now.”

Depending on the final makeup of the 53-man roster at the end of preseason, Browns general manager Andrew Berry said he wouldn’t rule out carrying all four quarterbacks rather than making a trade or hoping they go unclaimed on the practice squad.

He said if you consider the motive for assigning players to the final handful of roster spots, with the focus on development, why couldn’t those players be quarterbacks?

“I also think with the roster flexibility nowadays, especially with the elevations that you’re able to have on the practice squad, there’s just more flexibility in terms of how to build your 48-man game-day roster where it’s maybe not as quite as restrictive as in the past,” Berry said. “If there are four that are 53-man worthy and we think it makes the most sense for us to keep, then we will.”

–Field Level Media

Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough during Pro Day at the UofL Football's Trager Indoor Practice Facility Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

Ramifications of NCAA’s new world reach NFL draft

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GREEN BAY, Wis. — Quarterbacks Tyler Shough and Dillon Gabriel, both taken on the second day of the draft, might be considered rookies by the NFL, but their extensive game experience reflects the current nomadic culture of college football.

Each of their paths — with three schools apiece, a combined 106 games, and parts of 13 seasons — included a stop at Oregon.

Shough, a 25-year-old taken in the second round by the New Orleans Saints at No. 40, spent his first three seasons at Oregon (2018-20), followed by three at Texas Tech and his final season at Louisville.

Gabriel, 24, was selected in the third round by the Cleveland Browns with the 94th pick. He began his college career with three seasons at Central Florida, followed by two at Oklahoma, then last season at Oregon.

Shough’s college career was plagued by a smorgasbord of injuries. The list includes broken collarbones in back-to-back season and a broken left fibula in 2023 in his final season at Texas Tech.

“In my case, I didn’t necessarily benefit from the changes of eligibility,” Shough said after he was selected. “I had a redshirt, and then it was COVID year, and then I had a medical. It was just unfortunate timing with some of the stuff, but for me, like I said, it’s prepared me so much mentally to kind of deal with a lot of the adversity on and off the field. Some of the circumstances are out of your control and you have to respond to that.”

Miami quarterback Cam Ward, the first overall pick by the Tennessee Titans, spent two seasons at FCS school Incarnate Word, then two seasons at Washington State before his final season with the Hurricanes.

Jackson Dart, taken at No. 25 in the first round by the Giants, spent one season at Southern California followed by three at Ole Miss.

Alabama’s Jalen Milroe was the only other QB taken in the first two days, selected two picks in front of Gabriel by the Seattle Seahawks. He spent all four college seasons with the Crimson Tide.

–Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media

Oct 5, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) rushes for a touchdown /across the/ during the fourth quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

2025 NFL Draft position series: Quarterbacks

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Value equations and position priority can vary by NFL franchise, general manager and coaching staff with one glaring exception tested by history and proven out in hardware.

Quarterbacks are the ultimate NFL wildcard, a top necessity with very noteworthy exceptions.

Of the 14 starting quarterbacks in the 2025 playoffs, 12 entered the league as first-round picks. The Lombardi Trophy winner — Jalen Hurts of the Eagles — was an exception, as was 2024 NFC Super Bowl quarterback Brock Purdy. Hurts was a second-rounder (53rd overall in 2020) and the lowest drafted playoff starter other than Steelers veteran Russell Wilson (a third-round pick, 75th overall, in 2012). Ten of the quarterbacks starting 2025 playoff games were drafted in the top 12 overall.

The roundabout point on the table goes well past the history of teams drafting quarterbacks in the top five.

Most years, a franchise finds its way to the No. 1 pick because of a QB need. Six of the top 12 picks in 2024 were spent on quarterbacks.

It’s largely true again this year of the three teams in the top three: Titans, Browns and Giants. All had high-profile fires breakout around the planned development of touted saviors and prized picks and with three wins last season are under major heat to get the position fixed.

Can the supply available in the 2025 NFL Draft meet the demand of teams with no proven answer at the position?

FIELD LEVEL MEDIA 2025 Draft QB rankings:

1. Cameron Ward, Miami
With 158 career TD passes and a three-program track record of winning with peak production in five years at the college level, Ward stands as the lone quarterback with the first-round grade in FLM rankings. Fit has become critical at QB — while that was always the case, synergy and an established developmental platform are now pass-fail metrics falling on the organization, not the player. Ward might’ve been No. 3-5 in the historic class of 2024 between J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix.

There is risk, of course, but Ward’s tools are enticing: pocket mobility, decent short-area speed, power to rip in a crowded pocket and touch downfield.

He is not fully programmed. The penchant to freelance and trust his instincts led to rich success at Miami and Washington State. The same off-script escapades and live arm can lead to him overtrusting his ability to make something out of nothing. The combination of all of these factors invite loose comparisons to Patrick Mahomes, and GMs taking deep-dive looks at Ward are blown away by his impactful leadership and follow-me style expected from a franchise quarterback.

2. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Developed by his dad, Deion Sanders, at Jackson State and Colorado, the spotlight has never been overly engulfing for Shedeur Sanders. An easy target as the coach’s kid under the tutelage of flashy and famous Hall of Fame cornerback, Shedeur Sanders was 13-11 in two seasons at the FBS level and completed 73 percent of his passes as a junior before declaring for the draft.

Deion Sanders made his fortune with rare speed, explosiveness and playmaking instincts. Shedeur Sanders’ ticket to pro success resides in his competitive toughness and ability to deliver the ball on time while staring down the barrel of the pass rush. He’s not suited for every NFL offense and some coordinators fear he can’t be pulled out of an overly cautious in-game approach. Shedeur Sanders might only succeed in a scheme focused on a strong running game with a full-trust, tough-love situation similar to Bo Nix with the Broncos.

3. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
All sorts of variations of the pecking order of this QB class are out there among the NFL’s 32 opinions that matter. For any franchise preparing for a rainy day, Milroe is highlighted as a player who could take the Jordan Love (26th overall) or Jalen Hurts route to an NFL starting job.

A quarterback in a running back’s body, Milroe’s pro progress has almost no chance of being a straight-line to success. He’s admittedly raw, new to reading beyond his second option and accustomed to getting by with natural gifts — rare as they might be — to win. This can often mean retreating to the point of highest training as a run-first mindset when plays go off-script.

He made a leap training under first-year coach Kellen DeBoer and brings a game-changing ability as a runner — 20 rushing touchdowns last season — to add value while using his workmanlike and professional approach to evolve as an NFL passer. Parallels to current Packers backup Malik Willis are wide of the mark and those making comps to run-happy Syracuse product Donovan McNabb (No. 2 overall, 1999) and Mississippi State project Dak Prescott (fourth round, 2016) are only marginally closer.

If he’s drafted into ideal circumstances with pro redshirt possibilities, Milroe’s home-run speed and upside are being undersold.

4. Jaxson Dart, Mississippi
Not to suggest a daily driver can’t compete in a car show, but a value ceiling appears to be inevitable for Dart in the 2025 draft. He passed for more than 10,000 yards and embodied the chip-on-shoulder approach to the position coach Lane Kiffin loves. As an NFL prospect, there are elements of Dart’s game that easily transfer to a timing-based offense. He’s 28-10 as a starter and throws the ball with accuracy, timing and can escape or use his legs to create openings.

He’s not going to cut the ball through gusty winds but would willingly die trying with a gunslinger mentality some coaches are certain to embrace.

There are winning traits in common with Brock Purdy (49ers) and Kirk Cousins (Falcons) but his greatest production and performance has come in helter skelter pacing or comeback situations and a season or two might be necessary to build him into a more complete starter.

5. Quinn Ewers, Texas
One of the more high-profile recruits in recent memory and a foundation stone of the start of the NIL era, Ewers brings the profile of a backup quarterback to the table despite success and playoff experience at Texas and in the SEC.

A touch passer with enough mobility to manipulate the pocket, Ewers has undeniable similarity to former Pitt first-round pick Kenny Pickett. Pickett is on his third NFL team in three seasons after being acquired from the Eagles by the Cleveland Browns. He’s good enough to win a game, but perhaps not the player coaches want in the driver’s seat long-term.

6. Tyler Shough, Louisville
A seven-year college journey paved the path for Shough to hit the NFL draft at nearly 26 years old holding an incomplete resume. He only played in more than eight games once in his career and that came last season at Louisville, where his pocket prowess made him a perfect fit in a downfield passing game. Given durability concerns and advanced age, the upside to selecting Shough ahead of younger, developmental options is limited. Shough turns 26 in September, and if a team isn’t going to start him as a rookie, what in the name of Brandon Weeden are we doing here?

7. Kyle McCord, Syracuse
Turnovers, risk tolerance and a rigid release are the issues scouts can’t get past in the final grade for McCord. His mental makeup, experience, reps and controlled aggressiveness as a decision-maker push him into top backup and fringe starter territory.

8. Will Howard, Ohio State
Went from Kansas State to the Buckeyes and a season directing a Cadillac offense skyrocketed his efficiency and he won over some scouts with his toughness. Questions about arm strength and inconsistent accuracy aren’t going away.

9. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
As a second- or third-day draft pick, Gabriel’s size (5-11, 200) and limited exposure to a pro-style scheme cast him in the same light as former career backup Chase Daniel.

10. Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
Six seasons in college and playing through a second torn ACL (August 2024, surgery January 2025) reduce Rourke to a backup-level ceiling.

–Field Level Media