Poll: Sanders, Ward peak as top QB draft options

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The apical of the backmost marketplace appears to person solidified for the 2025 NFL draft, pinch an ESPN canvass showing that Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward person separated themselves from the remainder of the class.

ESPN re-polled 20 scouts and executives, asking them the same point we did successful October: Who is the apical backmost for the 2025 NFL draft?

In the latest poll, Sanders sewage 11 votes and Ward received 9, a chopped quality from the results anterior to the play of Oct. 5.

The results from the first canvass showed a overmuch wider variance, arsenic Sanders sewage 9 votes up of Georgia's Carson Beck (5), Alabama's Jalen Milroe (4), Ward (1) and Texas' Quinn Ewers (1).

One scout initially described the backmost people arsenic "muddy," and the statement among scouts is that this harvest of quarterbacks is simply a chopped downgrade from past year. In the 2024 NFL draft, a grounds six quarterbacks went successful the first round, each of them going successful the first 12 picks.

Ward and Sanders are importantly different players, which could effect decision-making astatine the apical of the draft. Ward is simply a prototype dual-threat who will beryllium called connected for designed runs successful the NFL. Sanders isn't a positive jock successful the minds of scouts, arsenic he is much of a dropback backmost who isn't a bully capable jock for called moving plays.

"This is 1 of the weakest classes," said a seasoned scout. "There's not a batch of extent to it, and there's not a batch of high-talent players either."

That reality is going to collide pinch the number of teams pinch a important request for a quarterback. The draft's apical 3 teams -- the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants -- each could prime a QB and subordinate the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets and New Orleans Saints arsenic astir needing backmost help. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts besides could look to reside the position successful the draft, though not pinch the urgency of the others.

When picking their apical quarterback, scouts and executives utilized words for illustration "reluctantly" and "don't emotion it." One scout said he was unsure if there's immoderate franchise quarterbacks successful this draft.

The harvest sewage moreover weaker Thursday erstwhile Beck reversed people and decided to participate the transportation portal and spell backmost to college. Beck injured his elbow successful the SEC title crippled Dec. 7 and had room successful Los Angeles connected Dec. 23 by renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

He follows Ward successful his way -- Ward declared for the draught earlier joining the Hurricanes successful January 2024 -- and successful destination, arsenic sources told ESPN connected Friday that Beck had committed to Miami. His prime to return to schoolhouse has been viewed arsenic a wise one.

"Smart move," 1 scout told ESPN. "He had an up-and-down year, tons of mobility marks, he came backmost and answered them. He's very talented, very inconsistent. He needs a amended assemblage of work, successful my opinion."

LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and Penn State's Drew Allar will beryllium up of Beck and Clemson's Cade Klubnik successful the speech for the apical backmost successful the 2026 draft.

Allar's sanction gained buzz successful NFL circles successful caller weeks, moreover though he has stated publically that he is coming back.

"I look guardant to making much memories pinch my teammates this twelvemonth and beyond," he said successful a connection anterior to the commencement of the College Football Playoff.

His capacity against Notre Dame connected Thursday proved a difficult one, arsenic he grounded to complete a walk to a wide receiver and threw a precocious interception that led to the Irish's winning section goal.