McCreven’s Mashup: A pre-Combine look at the top quarterback prospects in this year’s class

A handful of teams enter each April in search of the next centerpiece that will command an offense sure to win Super Bowls and restore glory to a downtrodden franchise.  

Over the last ten NFL Drafts, an average of 3.5 quarterbacks have been selected in the first round, with that number ticking up to 3.8 since 2020. Teams desperate for offensive rejuvenation select their hopeful franchise janitor to clean up the mess left by the previous regime, with notable players such as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert all being selected in the past eight drafts.  

But what happens when a quarterback class inordinately isn’t as star-studded? Look at the 2022 class, which saw just one quarterback (Kenny Pickett) selected in the first round for the first time since 2013 (EJ Manuel) and fourth time this century.  

Sure, there are the trendy prospects skyrocketing to the top of each draft expert’s board, confident to give great value in the middle rounds — look no further than Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart or Ohio State’s Will Howard — but what about the top signal callers? Who are they, and are they truly first round prospects? Are they worth the hype of a first-round draft selection?  

I broke down the consensus on the top three prospects by the numbers and gave a short scouting profile on each of them.  

Cam Ward, Miami (SR. 6-2, 220lbs) 

Ward’s ascension from being a little-known starter at Incarnate Word to Heisman runner-up at Miami in the matter of three seasons deserves an emphatic standing applause. The transition from Pullman in 2023 (3,736 yards, 25/7 TD/INT) to Coral Gables in 2024 (4,313 yards, 39/7) provided Ward with more national coverage and more talent to throw to, which the nation’s leader in touchdown passes took advantage of this past fall.  

Ward’s snappy release and raw arm talent are palpable from watching the tape, as the fifth-year senior racked up 4,517 yards from scrimmage and 43 total touchdowns in his swan song campaign as a Hurricane. 

Perhaps the best — and most intriguing — part of Ward’s game is his play out of structure. Ward’s 31 big time throws (a statistic quantified by Pro Football Focus) and 18 turnover worthy plays (TWP) are reminiscent of the classic gunslingers of the NFL’s past (think Brett Favre).  

I am by no means comparing Ward to Favre; I more so want you to think about the type of player that Favre was.  

Yet like Favre, the Miami-product struggles with ball security. Of those 18 TWPs, seven of them were intercepted, meaning almost half of the time Ward attempts to fit in a dangerous throw, it’s turned over. 

Still, Ward’s bright spots are undeniable. The experienced fifth-year senior sported an adjusted completion percentage of 76.5 and an offensive passing grade of 92.9 on the season, per PFF, which was second in the country.  

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (SR. 6-2, 215lbs) 

Oftentimes the subject of criticism by way of his father’s actions during his tenure in Boulder, the ever-so consistent Sanders brought the Buffaloes within one game of a Big-12 title game appearance in his final collegiate season.  

I view Sanders as the higher-floor, lower-ceiling prospect compared to Ward. Sanders has displayed an innate ability to throw the ball with touch and has great anticipation over the middle of the field. He is accurate, collected and decisive in his reads — and uber-consistent.  

Sanders’ game log says it best. In eight of Colorado’s 13 games in 2024, Sanders sported a completion percentage above 70, throwing for a combined 27 touchdowns and five interceptions in those games. The FCS-born product also donned an adjusted completion percentage of 81.8 — among the nation’s best. 

Yet Sanders’ precise placement and knowledge of the game can only bring him so far. The former Buffalo lacks the top-end arm strength needed to make downfield throws in the NFL — the type threaded between two safeties converging from a cover three in the seam — and can, at times, hold onto the ball too long looking for one of his first three reads to come open.  

There’s also the off-field baggage that comes with Sanders, who is oftentimes held in a negative connotation.  

Jalen Milroe, Alabama (SR. 6-2, 225lbs) 

Milroe is far and away the hardest prospect to break down on this list. What is he at the next level? A true quarterback who can operate an NFL offense in its complexities, or a situational runner thrown in on fourth down and short?  

I believe he is somewhere in between.  

Milroe is a fantastic athlete — the best in this quarterback group and arguably in the entire class — that can open up a game with his legs and be a headache for an opposing defense. The senior ran for 726 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2024, piling onto his career total of 33 scores on the ground.  

But how is he as a drop back passer? I’ll turn to the PFF database to assess.  

Milroe was on the field for 778 snaps in 2024. He dropped back 371 times (47.7%) and attempted 324 passes (meaning he scrambled or was sacked the 47 other times).  

Of those 324 attempts, Milroe completed 205 of them (63.3%) for 2,834 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions — not the most sterling stat line as a quarterback vying to be a first-round draft pick.  

In fact, Milroe’s PFF passing grade decreases as you get closer to the line of scrimmage. On 115 attempts between zero and nine yards, Milroe sported a passing grade of 60.3, per PFF, completing just 75.7% of his passes for four touchdowns and five interceptions.  

Still, Milroe succeeded as a downfield passer, completing 16 BTTs, attempting 20-plus yards downfield for 10 touchdowns and sporting a deep passing grade of 93.1.  

Getting a read on Milroe as a thrower is difficult and will require its own feature piece at a later date, but his talent as a runner is undeniable and will surely attract interest from teams at the next level.