NFL Draft
3/21/25
12 min read
2025 NFL Draft: Ranking This Year's Most Accurate Quarterbacks
Accuracy is the most important trait an NFL quarterback can have, but defining what makes a passer accurate isn't easy. If the timing and placement are correct, putting a pass on the money can lead to a huge gain. However, the difficulty of the throw must also factor in as play under pressure, accuracy while on the move, and consistency to every level matter.
Often, the stats won't highlight a quarterback's ability well enough to rely on. Blending stats with film study and tendency-tracking gives the best holistic overview to measure accuracy. I've charted and logged every throw from drafted quarterbacks over the last decade to have class data that helps provide historical context.
Accounting for the unique situation every 2025 NFL Draft quarterback prospect was in throughout their collegiate careers as well as possible, here's our ranking of the 10 most accurate passers in the class.
Most Accurate Quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft
It's fair to say this is not the most accurate class as a whole, but these three quarterbacks have passed baseline film and accuracy data checks to be draftable passing prospects. Each is highly reliant on being in the perfect situation, though, and having the best profile as a backup.
Honorable Mentions
- Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
- Kurtis Rourke, Indiana
- Brady Cook, Missouri
10. Max Brosmer, Minnesota
Teams looking for a quality backup will be happy with Max Brosmer's growth. The former New Hampshire quarterback was an immediate hit at Minnesota in 2024, actually improving his accuracy and decision-making despite the jump in competition. He has enough arm strength to be a low-end starter, and his 1,498 career attempts will help his adjustment to the NFL.
Brosmer thrives as a game manager. With a quick release and willingness to take what defenses surrender, his adjusted completion rate is the fifth-best in the class when considering the average depth of target attempted. Brosmer is reliable and routinely leads his receivers upfield up to 15 yards.
While Brosmer's engine is like a Toyota's because he's trustworthy when in a clean pocket and attempting throws, there are some major limitations in throwing beyond 20 yards and while under pressure. He's the worst in the class going downfield because he can't drive the ball without losing touch, and only Dart and Cook have worse play under pressure.
9. Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Dillon Gabriel is the winner of the biggest film vs. analytics dichotomy award in this class. On paper, there's no reason why Gabriel wouldn't rank as a top-two passer in terms of accuracy. His adjusted completion rates are only consistently behind Shedeur Sanders and Will Howard in every major qualifier, so what gives?
The reality is that Gabriel will have one of the weakest arms in the NFL as soon as he's on a roster. While he overcomes his inability to drive the ball to the opposite side of the field beyond 10 yards with great timing and pre-snap understanding of where to go, Gabriel's velocity is far too limiting to scheme for and around in a starting role.
Being a high-end backup doesn't quite require the same physical skill set because Gabriel may only be needed for a few drives or games as opposed to 17 weeks and the playoffs. He's excellent in the short game, and his reaction to unexpected coverages or pressure often brings the correct read and a fast release. Gabriel is cerebral within the context of the collegiate game, but his limitations will hurt him at the next level.
8. Tyler Shough, Louisville
If we just isolate Tyler Shough's 2024 season with Louisville, his accuracy profile is significantly better than the rest of his career. Because he spent time in three different offensive styles in his six years in school, it's fair to say Louisville's pro-style attack fit Shough better. His accuracy was significantly sharper and more reliable when he didn't have as much mental strain that comes with spread attacks.
Shough has a strong arm that can drive the ball into tight passing windows on the far side of the field, but he struggles with feathering the ball over defenders. His touch is inconsistent, and this was especially costly on deep passing attempts beyond 20 yards. He'll rarely hit someone in stride as he floats passes into the general area of his receiver.
Only Max Brosmer and Brady Cook have worse deep accuracy than Shough, so that becomes a major kneecap for a scheme. His play-action passing is also below average historically, so there's not much value gained from designing longer-developing concepts. Shough's short to intermediate attack is relatively good so long as he doesn't hesitate to make decisions.
7. Jalen Milroe, Alabama
If someone could guarantee that Jalen Milroe was in his best element 100 percent of the time, he'd be a slam-dunk first-round pick. His maligned accuracy issues are sporadic but were also exacerbated in 2024 when he was playing in a vertical passing offense that increased his pure dropbacks and average depth of target. Jaxson Dart and Kurtis Rourke were the only two draftable quarterbacks with a higher average target depth than Milroe.
Milroe won't consistently lead receivers or even throw a catchable pass as a standstill pocket quarterback. However, he makes up for this weakness with jaw-dropping precision and pure arm strength while on the move and when throwing into contested windows. His game seems to elevate when the challenge is higher, and his best throws are on par with anyone in the 2025 class.
Getting Milroe into a play-action-heavy offense that mixes in rollouts and deep shots is ideal. His completion rate skyrockets by 15 percent on play-action attempts, and his turnover-worthy throws plummet when he throws downfield more. He's a unique prospect with the most room to grow into an immense ceiling.
6. Kyle McCord, Syracuse
Kyle McCord is the biggest gunslinger in the class and has the physical tools to justify being such a gutsy decision-maker. His stocky 220-pound frame generates impressive velocity, and he improved his touch as a senior in 2024. Only Quinn Ewers put the ball in harm's way more than McCord, though, and some of his splits from Ohio State's offense to Syracuse's cast doubt as to what is noise and what's real.
When McCord is hot, he'll go long stretches with great throws that are placed perfectly into the receiver's hands. He doesn't need play action to be effective, and his play under pressure was significantly improved in 2024. However, staying hot is impossible, and the downsides are severe.
A struggling McCord can't sustain an NFL-caliber offense for long because of the turnover risk. Like we've seen with Jameis Winston, McCord's problems compound quickly because he's not a great athlete, and his overall precision is unpredictable. Rushing McCord's throwing process or confusing him causes him to malfunction and operate as a much less effective passer.
5. Quinn Ewers, Texas
Much like McCord in terms of being a rollercoaster experience, there are times when Quinn Ewers will have you thinking he's a future NFL All-Pro with his abilities to manipulate a football. His natural touch is incredible, and in those moments when his mechanics are perfect, no one can rival Ewers' ball placement. The problem is those moments are fleeting, and the ugly misses in between have defined Ewers.
Lacking top-tier arm strength and possessing a near-defiance to step into all of his throws, Ewers is his own worst enemy more often than not. His overall precision is average despite the overwhelming promise surrounding him. It's most notable on out-breaking routes to the far side of the field and on deep attempts.
Because Ewers doesn't generate the torque needed to thread tight passing windows or hit downfield targets anywhere near in stride, he hamstrung Texas' offense more often than raising the unit's ceiling. His penchant for turnovers when pressured is another red flag teams will consider in April. Overall, Ewers is more physically intriguing than most, but getting from his current floor to his ceiling will take significant work.
4. Cameron Ward, Miami (FL)
There's a lot to like about Cameron Ward, and it's understandable why he's become the heavy favorite to be selected No. 1 in the 2025 NFL Draft when you focus on his strengths. Much like Jordan Love, Ward plays with a zest that leads to huge chunk plays. Harnessing his immense physical strengths and balancing risky decision-making is his key to panning out.
That all said, precision and overall accuracy are not Ward's primary strengths. An aggressive thrower who believes in his ability to fit a ball into any window, there are far too many examples of Ward relying too much on his raw arm talent and failing to use touch or lead his man upfield. The missed opportunities are more glaring because Ward can stay engaged and throw with clean mechanics whenever he wants.
A team will bank on Ward's ability to produce chunk plays and hope he has the discipline to master his accuracy. He's not the most naturally accurate player, but the tools are there for him to be much more nuanced with touch and maximize yards after the catch potential.
3. Will Howard, Ohio State
One of the big developments throughout the 2024 season was how Will Howard improved his NFL stock. While Howard looks like Josh Allen with his 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame, he doesn't possess the same arm strength. He has the ability to parlay his quick release, pre-snap reads, and accuracy under any circumstance into a viable skill set.
The lack of arm strength mainly shows on deep attempts, where analytics actually have Howard as an elite passer 20-plus yards downfield. As with Gabriel, though, the numbers aren't trustworthy here. Howard often puts too much air under the ball, and they sail, requiring his All-American-caliber receivers to make a play on it.
However, Howard is reliably accurate and precise in most other situations. His play under pressure is among the best in the class, and his ability to reset his eyes and feet on play-action attempts is elite. His high floor and accuracy should give Howard the chance to be an NFL starter at some point.
2. Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
Jaxson Dart and Howard have eerily similar profiles as passers, but the main differences are that Dart routinely had a historic average depth of target and has a better physical skill set than Howard. While Howard's numbers beat some of Dart's, the latter's ability to drive the ball downfield and deliver catchable throws while under pressure separates him. Dart has good athleticism and a strong enough arm to be like Brock Purdy in the NFL.
Dart is reminiscent of 2024 first-round pick Bo Nix as a prospect in many ways. He played in a Mickey Mouse offense that generated easy looks, and Dart still wasn't the crispest decision-maker or ace at processing. However, when he did pull the trigger, the ball landed in an advantageous spot for his receivers at an above-average rate.
The biggest red flag for Dart and the reason he's still well below our No. 1 is his play under pressure. His adjusted completion rate when pressured is only above Cook and Rourke and historically in the range of most busts. His reaction to pressure often causes a meltdown of his mechanics, and he doesn't have the arm talent to overcome that.
1. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
The race for the most accurate quarterback crown in the 2025 class ended in a massive landside win for Shedeur Sanders.
In fact, when taking out screen passes and throwaways, only Joe Burrow's 2019 and Jayden Daniels' 2023 seasons were clearly better than what Sanders produced in 2024. Every passing metric from deep passing, play under pressure, play-action performance, and throws out of the pocket predicts Sanders will have no issues being a high-level NFL presence.
Much more like Burrow than Daniels because he's not an elite athlete and often compensates for having a good but not elite arm, Sanders has had to master the details of his game. There are still plenty of examples of Sanders not stepping into throws as he needs, and his motion is still elongated compared to where it needs to get. But he compensates incredibly well with timing and touch.
Sanders' improvement each collegiate season bodes even better for what's next for him. His next destination will benefit from his desire to work within a timing-based offense and also his efficiency while creating out of the pocket.
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