Welcome to the ultimate NFL quarterback ranking list of the 2025 offseason! I've yet to find a QB list that aligns with my perspective on the position, so I decided to share my own.
NOTE: THESE ARE NOT FANTASY FOOTBALL QB RANKINGS. THIS IS FROM AN NFL STANDPOINT. YOU CAN FIND OUR FANTASY PROJECTIONS HERE.
As you dive into these rankings, keep in mind the core attributes I prioritize at the quarterback position.
First and foremost, run the dang offense! The ability to drop back and consistently deliver accurate throws in rhythm is underappreciated in the game today.
Before we get caught up in flashy traits or the allure of a "star" QB, I need to see competence in executing the basics. Too often, the football community chases the next Patrick Mahomes, overlooking the fact that Mahomes excels at most of the fundamentals. He has a Ph.D. in taking what the defense gives him — similar to past greats like Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
The NFL's obsession with second-reaction plays and out-of-structure heroics can be overblown. While the ability to don the superhero cape 5-6 times a game can elevate a good QB to elite status, it’s a liability if the negative plays outweigh the positives. I’m out on QBs who can’t balance the scales.
I place a premium on a quarterback’s ability to process the field with confidence — understanding play concepts and how they align with defensive schemes. Pocket management is equally critical; avoiding negative plays is non-negotiable.
Let’s be clear: sacks taken are a QB stat. Only then do we gain the ability to arm talent, build strength, and create outside of structure.
Last note here — I don’t believe “QB Wins” is a meaningful stat by itself, but I also won’t pretend winning doesn’t matter, and I won’t pretend that QBs aren’t the main driver of success in the NFL. They have an exponentially greater impact on the game than anyone else on the field, and probably more than anyone in an NFL organization.
These rankings attempt the impossible task of combining current form with actual accomplishments, while trying to avoid dropping too far into the “what ifs?”
This is merely a brief write-up. For more insight into my process, check out my cumulative rankings with Joe Marino on my NFL First Read podcast from earlier this offseason. Obviously, some minor things have changed since, but the thought process remains the same.
TIER 1: THE QBs YOU WIN BECAUSE OF
The title here is the description. This is the group of quarterbacks who can put the team on their backs in almost any situation and get the job done game in and game out. They usually shine in the big moments. They have most of the skills at their disposal and can elevate everyone around them.
The offense is built around these quarterbacks — it’s a “QB system,” not a “system QB.”
1) JOSH ALLEN – BUFFALO BILLS
Allen is the modern archetype for what everyone thinks they want in a QB. He is a legitimate dual threat with a bazooka for an arm who can create explosive plays at will. Additionally, he is the red-zone offense. En route to leading the Bills to five consecutive division titles, he has amassed over 40+ touchdowns in five consecutive seasons. For reference, the next closest streak in NFL history is two!
Bottom line: Josh elevates those around him and has achieved results even in less-than-ideal circumstances. His 2024 campaign is proof positive that he will make anything work. The only thing missing from his resume is a Super Bowl win. I believe it’s coming.
Another notable data point: the Bills' passing offense ranked third in EPA per dropback, despite having no one who could consistently separate against man coverage. While EPA is often a team stat, in this instance, it’s a massive compliment to Allen’s playmaking ability.
2) JOE BURROW – CINCINNATI BENGALS
Burrow is my favorite QB in the league to watch. His play style matches what I prefer in a QB the most. His ability to run the offense as constructed is second to none in the league, and he combines that with elite accuracy, ball placement, and playmaking ability. The Bengals are wasting the career of one of the best players in the league.
3) LAMAR JACKSON – BALTIMORE RAVENS
Improvements to his accuracy and decision-making year over year have transformed Lamar into a legitimately great, mature quarterback. Low turnovers and a high number of avoided sacks, combined with elite playmaking, make stopping him a nearly impossible task. The Jackson-led Ravens ranked 1st in EPA per dropback in 2024.
It’s the lack of postseason success that is the only blemish on his resume, but it is nonetheless a significant one for a quarterback this accomplished.
4) JALEN HURTS – PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
This is where I can’t ignore the actual, real-life accomplishments. Hurts has been at his absolute best in the biggest games of his career — most notably, two nearly flawless Super Bowl performances. In Super Bowl LIX, Hurts led the Eagles' passing offense to the 2nd best EPA per dropback in the past 25 Super Bowls.
And the Eagles’ elite run game ticks in large part because of Hurts. Saquon Barkley is spectacular, but Miles Sanders and D’Andre Swift also had 1000-yard campaigns here. The offensive line certainly helps, but Hurts’ constant running threat makes the Eagles one of the NFL’s first true four-down offenses.
5) PATRICK MAHOMES – KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Mahomes is one of the greatest QBs ever to play the game, but this ranking is for right now — he is being held up by his past resume more than anyone on the list. The Chiefs’ offense has been a dink-and-dunk dirge for a couple of seasons, and Mahomes’ unwillingness to uncork his generational arm is becoming concerning. His play lately is eerily similar to that of the QB he replaced, Alex Smith. Perhaps that will change with a revamped offensive line and an improved receiving group in 2025.
It’s hard not to grade Mahomes on the impossible curve he set for himself, I admit.
TIER 2 - THE QBs YOU CAN WIN WITH
Like Tier-1 quarterbacks, these quarterbacks possess exceptional, demonstrable skills, but require the scales to be slightly tilted in their favor to consistently maximize their potential. Above-average offensive line play and pass-catchers, combined with an established play caller, is the minimum requirement to get these guys ticking. The extent to which they elevate those around them isn’t quite on the level of tier-1.
6) JARED GOFF – DETROIT LIONS
The epitome of the modern-day pocket passer. Goff’s physical limitations haven't stopped him from being one of the most effective QBs in the league. After some great peak years in LA, Goff is doing it again in Detroit. The Lions' passing offense has ranked in the top 5 in EPA per dropback over the past three seasons, including a #2 slot in 2024. He has ranked top-5 in accurate throw % and catchable ball rate over that span as well. He checks most of the boxes I look for in a QB.
7) JAYDEN DANIELS – WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
Daniels took the league by storm as a rookie in 2024 and was a perfect example of how to elevate a poor roster. He led the Commanders to unexpected success and all the way to the NFC Championship Game. He possesses all the talent in the world and is likely to make a significant jump in tier this year.
I am hesitant to crown QBs after just one season (see: CJ Stroud), so I have resisted the urge to put him in the top-5 now. I will wait to see him do it again, but he was the hardest guy to leave out of the top tier.
8) MATTHEW STAFFORD – LOS ANGELES RAMS
It's been fascinating watching Stafford transform from an undisciplined gunslinger to a true point guard in LA. His talent speaks for itself, but now he is playing the position at the highest level he ever has.
The back injury he’s been dealing with all of training camp is a significant concern, and it seems inevitable that it will eventually be the reason for his retirement. But the guy the Rams had under center last year has another potential Super Bowl run in him if he can stay on the field.
9) BAKER MAYFIELD – TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
One of the better redemption stories in the league right now — you wonder where Mayfield would be if the Browns didn’t cut bait. It’s possible his brief dalliance with Sean McVay was what he needed to achieve his current level of play.
Baker has a cannon for an arm, but more importantly, he is in the same tier of accuracy as the likes of Joe Burrow and Jared Goff. He has also honed his craft and is no longer a “see-it, throw-it” slow-trigger type of QB. He has learned to play in structure and consistently throws within rhythm, limiting harmful mistakes.
10) JUSTIN HERBERT – LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Perhaps the most gifted QB in the NFL from a raw talent standpoint. That is not disputable — his hero throw rate of 6.0% ranked third in the league last year. But there’s always been something missing that I can’t quite put my finger on, and the lack of team success is hard to ignore completely. It's possible that Herbert is overly programmed and robotic, and doesn’t lean enough into his athleticism.
That being said, the marriage with his head coach, Jim Harbaugh, is a great one. Harbaugh loves Herbert, and Harbaugh is a program builder. That alone makes me believe Herbert can trend upwards fast.
11) DAK PRESCOTT – DALLAS COWBOYS
Dak checks a lot of boxes. He is highly accurate and capable of running a high-volume offense effectively. He processes the field well. You can teach a young QB a lot by putting on some Dak tape.
That being said, a laundry list of serious injuries has sapped his athleticism, and he can no longer do some of the things that he could years ago when he wasn’t as polished from a process standpoint. That has led to some turnover issues, often at inopportune times.
12) BROCK PURDY – SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Purdy is probably the easiest QB in the league to label as the “system” guy. He runs that system at an incredibly high level, though, and Kyle Shanahan has always valued the ability to run it — it’s mostly why Trey Lance never got a shot to play (beyond the injuries).
The 49ers' pass attack ranked 2nd in EPA per dropback in 2023, and Purdy managed to show some positive things in 2024 despite virtually his entire offense missing time around him.
13) CJ STROUD – HOUSTON TEXANS
Two division titles and a playoff win in back-to-back seasons to start his career are exceptional. Stroud has a litany of strengths, but mostly, he is one of the best pure pocket passers in the game with rare functional arm talent.
But Stroud’s biggest weakness is the thing holding him back the most. He exacerbates below-average offensive line play by holding the ball for an eternity. If Stroud can improve in this area and become more situationally aware, the sky is the limit for him and the Texans.
TIER 3 - QBs THAT DON’T DIRECTLY COST YOU GAMES
This tier is full of established vets with physical limitations or promising youngsters with unrealized potential. These are competent QBs that can keep you competitive, but at this time haven’t shown elite ceiling ability. Some might call many in this tier “QB Purgatory” or other similar cliches.
14) BO NIX – DENVER BRONCOS
Nix had a promising rookie season and showed he has the potential to elevate those around him. He has positive movement traits, which will always help. But on a throw-for-throw basis, Nix left a lot of meat on the bone. Improvements in his accuracy and ball placement could be enough to tilt the scales to the Broncos' favor in their quest for an AFC West title. In Sean Payton, Nix has the right coach to get him through that.
15) TREVOR LAWRENCE – JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
I have been on record calling Lawrence a coach killer — Urban Meyer was a disaster not of Lawrence’s making, but Doug Pederson was a successful coach in the past who just couldn’t get Lawrence to live up to his expected potential. By most discernible metrics, he has been a significant disappointment as a former 1st overall pick and “generational” prospect.
That said, at the bare minimum, Lawrence is talented and is a decent NFL starting QB, and that gives the Jaguars a reasonable floor. It’s up to Liam Coen, who just coached Baker Mayfield into the top 10 of my rankings, to try to coax that next step out of him.
16) JORDAN LOVE – GREEN BAY PACKERS
Love has elite traits for the position. But remember, I’m trying to avoid too many of the “hypotheticals” here. The problem is that we have only about a seven-game stretch (out of 32 starts) where Love is playing at his potential. I am a believer in his tools and his surrounding circumstances, though.
Love is a strong candidate to make a large jump if he can stay on the field. The fact that he’s already dealing with an injury — though merely to his non-throwing hand — isn’t the greatest start in the world.
17) GENO SMITH – LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
Geno has the high-end traits you look for in a QB. He is mobile with the ability to create out of structure. He has incredible arm talent with the ability to make high-leverage, tight-window throws.
Unfortunately, he can’t seem to get out of his own way. He ranked bottom-5 in both turnover-worthy-throw rate last year, as well as sacks taken that we deemed the quarterback’s fault. This has been the norm throughout his career. Geno had a terrible line in Seattle last year, so let’s see if a better unit in Vegas can help him kick that habit. But at 35, that’s a tall ask.
18) KYLER MURRAY – ARIZONA CARDINALS
Murray is a frustrating case of elite skills with a complete inability to run an offense as designed. His raw talent is good enough to give his team a chance, but the inconsistency week to week is crippling at times.
19) TUA TAGOVAILOA – MIAMI DOLPHINS
When healthy, Tua has been able to operate Mike McDaniel’s offense at a pretty high level. It’s not flashy, but if you can stomach it, go look at the Dolphins’ numbers when Tua doesn’t play.
He is an accurate passer and is the quintessential high-floor QB.
TIER 4 - UNPROVEN YOUNGSTERS
These are QBs drafted in the past three seasons we either don’t know enough about yet, or guys who have been very “Jekyll and Hyde.” Don’t read too much into these, as we either don’t have enough tape and/or I’m still relying on pre-draft evaluations.
20) BRYCE YOUNG – CAROLINA PANTHERS
21) JJ MCCARTHY – MINNESOTA VIKINGS
22) DRAKE MAYE – NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
23) MICHAEL PENIX JR – ATLANTA FALCONS
24) CAM WARD – TENNESSEE TITANS
25) CALEB WILLIAMS – CHICAGO BEARS
TIER 5 - VETERAN RETREADS/SPLIT QB SITUATIONS
These are the most dire QB situations in the league — the seven most likely situations to see a change at the position next season. What I don’t know about the tier above gives me more confidence than what I do know about this tier.