| Score | Overall |
| 90.5 | 9 |
| Position | Day |
| 1 | 1 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 90.5 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Height: | 6' 2" | Weight: | 223 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.5 | Arms: | 30 |
| 40 YD Dash: | DNP | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Vertical: | DNP | Broad: | DNP |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 6' 2" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP |
| Weight: | 223 lbs | Arms: | 30 | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' 2" | Hands: | 9.5 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP | Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 223 lbs | Arms: | 30 | 10 YD Split: | DNP | Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | -- |
All-SEC First Team (2024)
Manning Award finalist (2024)
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm finalist (2024)
Maxwell Award semifinalist (2024)
Walter Camp Award semifinalist (2024)
Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist (2023, 2024)
Rhythmic passer who thrives playing within structure. One of the benefits of playing in the Lane Kiffin quick-game/RPO-centric offense is the experience Dart got running an offense the way it's supposed to be run and logging rep after rep of catch and throw. He understands the timing component of pass concepts and delivers the ball on time as the play is drawn up.
Mechanically clean QB with repeatable accuracy and plus arm strength. Dart has good pocket mechanics and to go with a crispy throwing motion. When in rhythm he consistently throws from a good base and is in the ready position. Occasionally his eyes will progress faster than his feet, and he won’t be "lined up" at delivery, but he tends to avoid clicking his heels. His arm is very live, and he has almost every club in the bag. He can change trajectories to get the ball up and down at the intermediate level. He can also ramp up velocity when needed to attack a tighter window. He throws an excellent deep ball and is comfortable attacking defenses at all three levels of the field, outside the far hash. He has the most impressive reel of deep completions in the class. There are certainly QBs with better arms than Dart, but he has more than enough juice to get the job done.
Very good athlete with QB run game in his toolbox. Dart’s athleticism seems to be overlooked at the moment. He is quick and runs with vision and great balance. When he opens the gate, he will shock you with his speed. Best of all, he doesn’t fumble either. Among all QBs in the class, only Jalen Milroe hit a faster MPH via GPS. Dart had 70 first downs + touchdowns and 50 explosive runs over the past two seasons. He is both an excellent scrambler and capable of handling a modest diet of designed QB runs. He will not be a premier rushing QB in the NFL, but his legs add a ton of value to his profile.
Creative playmaking ability. Dart can evade defenders and extend plays with his legs. He often looks to move the chains as a runner in those scenarios but has a nice collection of deep bombs while on the move – more of a proof of concept than a consistent element of his game. Dart is also good at hitting quick resets and throwing off-platform to get completions.
College system concerns. Dart comes from the Lane Kiffin high-tempo, RPO-heavy spread offense. Many of his throws are pre-snap reads, and in theory, he doesn’t have a huge resume getting through full-field progressions. In the end, this is not a huge concern for me — he actually has a higher percentage of throws getting to a second read than both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. However, this will be said about Dart on repeat from now until the end of time. Maybe a decade ago, this would have been an issue, but almost every college quarterback now comes from a similar system. Jayden Daniels, who just put up the best rookie season in NFL history, came from a nearly identical system. Looking at recent history, no quarterback has come from an air-raid system and had success until Patrick Mahomes. Since, we have seen a bunch of QBs do it, including Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray. The game has changed, and the pro game mimics the college more closely than ever.
Pressure to sack ratio. Like most athletically gifted QBs, Dart can get caught over-extending and taking some unnecessary sacks when pressured. He isn’t quite in danger zone territory, however, and it's worth noting that against top competition in the biggest games he cleaned it up a bit.
Dart brings a lot of my preferred traits to the table. He can operate a play as designed and is mostly a good decision-maker. He has a nice toolbox at his disposal, which includes good arm talent, accuracy, and athleticism. His overall playstyle and game remind me of a mix of Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels. Dart isn’t quite on Daniels’ level of athleticism but thrives in the quick-hitting rhythm-based system, attacking defenses deep, and using his legs. Among my top three passers in the 2025 class, I believe he plays the QB position the most like an NFL QB while possessing enough positive traits to give him a high ceiling, and therefore ranks as my QB1. He is just a slightly cleaner evaluation than Sanders and Ward. All three QBs score similarly for me, but all bring very different skill sets to the table and are attractive options for different reasons. I have no problem with any of the three being the 1st overall pick in the draft. For my money, all three should go inside the top 10.
| Score | Overall |
| 90.2 | 11 |
| Position | Day |
| 2 | 1 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 90.2 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Weight: | 212 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.375 | Arms: | 31.5 |
| 40 YD Dash: | DNP | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Vertical: | DNP | Broad: | DNP |
| Shuttle: | 4.45 | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9.375 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP |
| Weight: | 212 lbs | Arms: | 31.5 | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | 4.45 |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9.375 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP | Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 212 lbs | Arms: | 31.5 | 10 YD Split: | DNP | Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | 4.45 |
Son of former NFL star and Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders
Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (2024)
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Winner (2024)
4th in NCAA in passing yards in 2024 (4134 yards)
2nd in Passing TDs in 2024 (37 TDs)
91.0 PFF grade (3rd among QBs) in 2024
Class-best accuracy and ball location. When I evaluate QBs I chart every throw I watch. What stands out to me with Shedeur is his accuracy metrics are in the territory of Jared Goff, Baker Mayfield, and Joe Burrow, who are the three most accurate college QBs I have ever charted. Furthermore, throw for throw he ranks as being more accurate than any QB of the last four draft classes. It is not just that he gets the ball on his guys either, it's that generally speaking, he puts the ball exactly where he wants it – especially in the short parts of the field with the heavy RPO + Quick Game scheme. I see shades of Tua Tagovailoa in his ability to run that style of offense. This is the foundation for Shedeur being a highly touted prospect — it's his thing.
Polished throwing mechanics that lend to repeatable accuracy. Why is he so accurate, and does it translate to the NFL? Yes, to the latter. Starting with his lower half, Shedeur plays from an excellent base. He is never heel-clicky. He understands how to line up to his target and throw from a firm foundation. His arm mechanics are mostly textbook with a four-point check system. You can tell he has been coached by NFL guys his whole life.
Quality ball security and decision making. Sanders will not put the ball in harm's way. He doesn’t make many ill-advised throws and as I already mentioned, he doesn’t really miss. When a play is dead, he works the checkdown proficiently and is also willing to throw the ball away. He doesn’t fumble the ball either despite being under more pressure than any quarterback in the class (by a lot).
World-class toughness. Outside of his accuracy, this is Sanders' next big winning trait. I am not sure I have ever seen a tougher QB, both physically and mentally. Colorado’s offensive line was egregiously bad and Sanders took monster shots in every single game he played. He always popped right back up and never let it affect him mentally. The Colorado offensive line couldn’t pass-protect or generate positive gains in the run game consistently. They were behind the sticks constantly. Sanders didn’t just survive in this environment, he flourished despite it. The worst situation in the NFL is likely better than what Sanders had to deal with in 2023 and 2024 in Colorado.
Questions about arm strength. Shedeur doesn’t have the strongest arm. However, being able to throw 65 yard moonshots downfield is one of the most overrated feats in football. Those plays happen a couple of times a year at most. Most deep balls, whether a go/slot-fade or a post, are successful when thrown with timing and rhythm, usually within 40 yards. Some of the best deep ball throwers in NFL history aren’t big armed guys (Drew Brees). With that said, my big concern with Shedeur's arm strength is how infrequently he drives the ball and throws with velocity. Everything is a touch throw. As windows get tighter in the NFL, he will have to learn to drive the ball and play with a certain level of zip, especially when throwing outside the numbers or attacking the intermediate middle.
Takes way too many sacks. We can make excuses for him because of his environment and the need for him to put on his hero cape every play, but the truth is, he relies on extending the play way too much. Sanders took a boatload of sacks because he was reliant on deviating from the play and extending. His pressure to sack ratio is horrific. I had the same criticism of Caleb Williams last year, and it showed up in his rookie season.
Athletic limitations. Sanders won’t be the worst athlete at QB in the NFL but he definitely isn’t a guy you will scheme up many QB runs for. If you created a spectrum of QB mobility between CJ Stroud and Jared Goff, he would fall somewhere on it.
Sanders is a very polarizing QB prospect. On one hand, you have a handful of mouth-watering, high-floor QB traits in his accuracy, toughness, experience and decision making. On the other hand, you have what appear to be legitimate concerns about his ceiling (arm strength + athleticism). When you consider how murky the waters were at Colorado, it is really hard to put a thumb on just how limited his ceiling is. He overcame a lot as is, but we really didn’t get a clean look at him in a stable environment. It is also worth noting that QBs can develop as they mature physically, especially regarding arm strength — I think of Tom Brady right away. Brady’s arm got consistently stronger and stronger all the way into his 40s. There is also a conversation about Sanders's persona. For the record, I tend to gravitate towards uber-confident, high-strung, leader type QBs and Sanders is no exception. Some NFL teams may disagree. In conclusion, Sanders brings such excellent, high-level high-floor traits to the table that even with a potentially limited ceiling, he scores worthy of a top-10 selection for me.
| Score | Overall |
| 90.1 | 12 |
| Position | Day |
| 3 | 1 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 90.1 | 3 | 1 | 12 |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Weight: | 219 lbs |
| Hands: | 9 | Arms: | 30.625 |
| 40 YD Dash: | DNP | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Vertical: | DNP | Broad: | DNP |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP |
| Weight: | 219 lbs | Arms: | 30.625 | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP | Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 219 lbs | Arms: | 30.625 | 10 YD Split: | DNP | Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | -- |
Heisman Trophy finalist (2024)
Davey O’Brien Winner (2024)
All-America First Team (2024)
ACC Player of the Year (2024)
First Team All-SEC (2024)
All-time Division I (FBS/FCS) combined touchdown leader
Best-in-class arm talent. Ward has a bazooka. He also has just about every club in his bag and can lay in throws with touch and precision from all depths. He has a lightning-quick release and can ramp up velocity quickly to fit the ball into tight windows. His quick release gives him an advantage in the quick-game/RPO world where he can completely mitigate defender reaction time. There isn’t a throw he can’t make.
Elite play-making ability. Ward can evade pressure and extend plays with his legs. An overwhelming chunk of Miami’s explosive pass plays in 2024 were Ward improvising and willing them to happen. He can throw off-platform, dropping his arm angle to bend the ball around defenders. He is highly proficient at throwing on the move.
Highly experienced QB. Ward has 57 career starts in college football, including 38 at the Power-4 level. There isn’t much he hasn’t seen as a QB, and the NFL has had a lot of recent success with guys who are rich in experience — Jayden Daniels (#2 overall in 2024), Bo Nix (#12 overall in 2024), Brock Purdy (Mr. Irrelevant in 2022), and Jalen Hurts (53rd overall in 2020) all come to mind.
Showed the ability to work progressions at times. I wouldn’t call this a strength of his game yet but in the year 2025, finding college QBs comfortable getting through a coverage-based read and finding a secondary option in rhythm is exceedingly rare, so I have to grade on a curve. Ward has a solid resume in this regard.
Struggles to consistently play within structure. Ward tends to play hero ball far too often, and he gets himself in trouble as a result. On his tape, you see a ton of turndowns, unnecessary sacks, and inviting chaos into his life. I had the same criticisms of Caleb Williams a year ago, and Williams’ rookie season proved this is a very hard habit to break. Let me be clear though, Ward is absolutely capable of playing hero ball, but he needs to learn/be coached into knowing when to press that button. It is much more difficult than it sounds, though, and the careers of Kyler Murray, Sam Darnold, and CJ Stroud bear that out.
Major struggles under pressure. Every QB is affected by pressure. However, the degree to which Ward’s play deteriorated far exceeded the expected level. His career pressure-to-sack ratio is far in the danger zone. When under duress, his accuracy completely falls off a table, and he puts the ball in harm's way regularly. Cleaning up this aspect of his game will be critical to his success in the NFL. The very nature of being on the creative playmaker archetype of QB insinuates having to deal with pressure (usually self-inflicted) frequently. If those looks come at a cost to the team, then the skill really isn’t all that valuable.
Accuracy and touch fall off in the red zone. Over the past two seasons, he completed under 50% of his passes in the red zone, while taking 14 sacks. He also had a handful of red-zone turnovers.
Deep catalog of head-scratching turnovers. Ward had over double the turnover-worthy plays of the other top quarterbacks in this class. Many of them are of the Will Levis variety. Never go full Levis.
Ward is the classic type of toolsy QB who still needs a lot of work on the details of the position. He has unteachable arm talent and playmaking ability that gives him an extreme amount of upside as a prospect — he is fully on the Caleb Williams and Drake Maye spectrum of QB. While there are some massive red flags in his profile, I see the vision with Ward and buy into the potential. The top of this QB class is competitive, with all three of my top guys scoring similarly but all offering very different skill sets and play styles as players. Officially, Ward scores as my QB3, but it's a tight race for those top spots, and none of them are the standout "can’t-miss" type of prospect. I would have no issue with Ward going #1 overall and comparatively, he scores as a better prospect for me than the aforementioned Maye.
| Score | Overall |
| 83.1 | 57 |
| Position | Day |
| 4 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 83.1 | 4 | 2 | 57 |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Weight: | 217 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.375 | Arms: | 30.625 |
| 40 YD Dash: | DNP | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Vertical: | DNP | Broad: | DNP |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9.375 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP |
| Weight: | 217 lbs | Arms: | 30.625 | 10 YD Split: | DNP |
| Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' 1" | Hands: | 9.375 | 40 YD Dash: | DNP | Broad: | DNP | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 217 lbs | Arms: | 30.625 | 10 YD Split: | DNP | Vertical: | DNP | Shuttle: | -- |
Team Captain (2023, 2024)
William V. Campbell Trophy Winner (2024)
Maxwell Award semifinalist (2023, 2024)
Walter Camp Player of the Year semifinalist (2024)
Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist (2023, 2024)
Mind-bending athleticism for the position. Milroe is jacked. He has the requisite build for the archetype of quarterback he will be. He is arguably the most explosive running QB to come out since Michael Vick — he would have great burst for the running back position, let alone at quarterback. He has top-shelf long speed and will win foot races against most NFL defenders. Even the most athletic EDGE defenders in the NFL will be outmatched and lose pursuit against Milroe. He also has fantastic quickness and change-of-direction ability. His open-field vision is excellent as well. He is the type of scrambler who will break the will of opposing defenses. The cherry on top is his contact balance. He is not an easy out and will break a ton of tackles. He should carry the ball 10-15 times a game in the NFL and can bring that high floor of fantasy productivity we have seen from guys like Justin Fields. His running ability is the crown jewel of his skill set.
Cannon for an arm. Milroe’s arm strength is notable. He has throws on tape with the ball traveling upwards of 65-70 yards. He also throws with velocity that pops off the tape and is not shy about reaching back for a little extra. Despite some accuracy issues, Milroe can throw a very nice deep ball.
Unteachable toughness. Despite the heavy workload as runner, he hasn’t missed a game since becoming a starter. He also hangs in the pocket and delivers the football while staring down the barrel.
Accuracy woes. I charted Milroe as the least accurate QB in the class by a significant margin. He misses often, and by a lot. He can make the easy throws look labored. This is the single most worrisome part of his game and the one thing holding him back from scoring as a top QB prospect.
Mechanical issues in the pocket. Milroe’s base and lower half are all over the place and likely the most significant cause of his accuracy problems. He has pretty reps with his cleats in the ground, a sound and ready base, and he’s properly lined up with good weight transfer and hip fire upon delivery. These reps are too few and far between. Most of the time, you see heel clicks and a toesy delivery with which he looks completely stuck in the mud. Some of his best throws are on the move, which says a lot about his pocket skills.
Decision-making is poor. Milroe, especially against tougher competition, starts to press a bit too much. He seemed determined to prove he was a pocket QB, especially in 2024, but it came at a cost, with him forcing the ball into unnecessary windows and taking some unnecessary sacks. When he isn’t forcing the ball, he is a "see-it, throw-it" passer who needs his target to come open before he cuts it loose. There are very few anticipatory throws on tape. He will have to get more comfortable with the mental aspect of the game to find consistent success throwing the football. Landing in an RPO/quick-game heavy scheme would do him wonders.
Allow me to be fully transparent: a couple of years ago, I’d have graded Milroe higher. But the recent struggles of Anthony Richardson, who was a favorite of mine, make me apprehensive. And to that end, Richardson was a better prospect than Milroe. He had much cleaner mechanics and feel for the QB position at large. He did all of the "QB-centric" skills at a higher level than Milroe. Milroe and Richardson are also the same age, which makes Richardson’s struggles a little more explainable. But the good news for Milroe is that he’s highly unlikely to be shouldered with the expectations of being a top-five pick, like Richardson. Ultimately, I think the success stories of Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, who were raw but skilled passers in college, have convinced us that transcendent developmental arcs are possible. But those arcs remain rare. In the case of Milroe, he brings elite athletic upside to the table, as well as a cannon for an arm. And for my money, that makes him the ideal Day-2 dart throw at QB. I could even potentially get on board with a late Round-1 selection if the situation were right.
| Score | Overall |
| 78.2 | 90 |
| Position | Day |
| 4 | 2 |
| Score | Position | Day | Overall |
| 78.2 | 4 | 2 | 90 |
| Height: | 6' 4" | Weight: | 219 lbs |
| Hands: | 9.75 | Arms: | 30.75 |
| 40 YD Dash: | 4.63 | 10 YD Split: | 1.61 |
| Vertical: | 32 | Broad: | 117 |
| Shuttle: | -- | Cone: | DNP |
| Height: | 6' 4" | Hands: | 9.75 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.63 |
| Weight: | 219 lbs | Arms: | 30.75 | 10 YD Split: | 1.61 |
| Broad: | 117 | Cone: | DNP | ||
| Vertical: | 32 | Shuttle: | -- |
| Height: | 6' 4" | Hands: | 9.75 | 40 YD Dash: | 4.63 | Broad: | 117 | Cone: | DNP |
| Weight: | 219 lbs | Arms: | 30.75 | 10 YD Split: | 1.61 | Vertical: | 32 | Shuttle: | -- |
Honorable Mention All-ACC (2024)
5th in the ACC in passing yards in 2024 (3,195)
6th in the ACC in passer rating (148.1)
7-year college player (started career in 2018)
2nd all-time in single season passing yards at Louisville
NFL size and frame. Shough is tall and has a thick, sturdy build. He looks like a throwback pocket passer who, in theory, should be durable.
Plus arm talent. Shough has a very live arm and can make some jaw-dropping throws. He is as comfortable as any attacking the deep and intermediate parts of the field. He can rip far hash throws deep, outside the numbers. He can ramp up velocity when needed or change trajectory to drop the ball into a bucket between defenders.
Pro vision and feel for concepts. Shough knows how to work NFL concepts. He uses his eyes and body language to affect and move defenders off their spots. He is proficient at attacking hi-low concepts. When the look he wants isn’t there, he is quick to move off and get to his checkdown.
Streaky passer. Shough’s accuracy charting was shockingly inconsistent, considering his arm talent. When he is in a groove, he can be lethal, but when he’s not feeling it, he is capable of missing several throws in a row and disrupting the offense's flow. Against Power-4 competition last season, he averaged under a 60 percent completion rate and 8.0 yards per attempt.
Decision-making under pressure is poor. Pressure adversely affects every quarterback, as expected. But with Shough, pressure completely jars him, and the wheels start to fall off. His decision-making unravels, and he struggles to avoid pressure. Despite excellent testing numbers at the Combine, you don’t see that level of athlete on tape. Shough pulled a Will Levis in 2024 against Stanford when he was rolling to his right and had defenders closing in – he decided to underhand throw the ball like a hand grenade into a pile of defenders. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: never go full Levis.
Elder statesman. Shough played seven years of college football and will turn 26 in Week 2 of the NFL season. He backed up Justin Herbert for two seasons at Oregon! He will be older than at least nine starting quarterbacks and almost 20 rostered QBs. I don’t know that the NFL cares a ton about this, but in conjunction with vast bouts of poor decision-making, looking the other way might be tough.
Injury history. One of the reasons he played college ball for so long was that he essentially lost three seasons to injury. In 2021, he broke his collarbone; in 2022, he had a shoulder injury that caused him to miss six games; and in 2023, he broke his leg.
Shough has several NFL-quality traits/skills at his disposal. He has a fantastic arm and can make any throw. He throws a very pretty deep ball and is capable of layering throws. He has a good feel for working two-man route concepts and understanding when to get to his checkdown. The warts muddy the waters quite a bit, though, and his consistency has to improve dramatically. His raw skills make him an enticing Day-2 option at QB, despite his age. He scores accordingly for me.
More Evaluations Coming Soon
The Fantasy Points Prospect Guide will be regularly updated as Brett Whitefield makes his way through more film.
Check back regularly for updates on both offensive and defensive players.
