We spend a number of time speaking about the very best quarterbacks within the NFL.
The highest 5, high 10 passers within the sport. How starters across the league stack up from season to season. However what about how all these QBs rank in particular areas? Who actually excels in a single side of play and stands above the remaining in that class?
For a second straight 12 months, I ranked the very best of the very best in seven completely different abilities: arm energy, ball placement, mechanics, decision-making, pocket presence, dashing means and second-reaction creativity. These top-10 lists are primarily based on present efficiency and expectations for the 2025 season: how I might rank the QB group at this second. I included solely starters and leaned on what I see on tape to kind the rankings.
Let’s begin with essentially the most highly effective arms, however you may soar to any of the opposite classes beneath.
Bounce to a bit:
Arm energy | Ball placement | Mechanics
Resolution-making | Pocket presence
Dashing means | Second response
Arm energy
1. Josh Allen, Payments
2. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
3. Justin Herbert, Chargers
4. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
5. Matthew Stafford, Rams
6. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
7. Joe Burrow, Bengals
8. Caleb Williams, Bears
9. Michael Penix Jr., Falcons
10. Jordan Love, Packers
For me, arm energy is much less about airing out the 60-yard go (although it is in fact a part of the equation) and extra about driving the soccer on a rope when it’s a necessity. I am speaking about tight home windows, 15 to twenty yards downfield. You want a robust arm to get the ball there on time with these passes; floating one in is not an choice. Suppose third-and-12 dropbacks with defenders blanketing the receiver, and the protection beginning to shut in. Not each QB has the zip in his arm to stick the ball the place it must be in a rush.
One of the best within the sport at that is Allen, however the high 4 on my listing — together with Mahomes, Herbert and Jackson — are collectively in a league of their very own. Allen related on 15 tight-window throws 10 or extra yards downfield final season, tied for the third most within the NFL. 9 of these had been at the least 20 yards downfield, essentially the most within the league. He can step on one with authority.
One other element of being a fastball thrower is being able to rely solely on the arm. By that, I imply throwing darts from what I name “humorous physique positions” — off-platform and contorted bases. These are all-or-nothing throws with out the advantage of loading up. The highest 4 on the listing all do that effortlessly, however you will see performs like that on movie from Williams and Love, too.
Burrow’s arm expertise is likely to be overshadowed by his accuracy and pocket presence (extra on that in a second), however he deserves credit score on this class, too. He can whip it into the strike zone. Stafford nonetheless hits the sideline throws late in his profession, and Mayfield can rocket the ball to a receiver completely in stride. I included Penix, too, regardless of simply three professional begins to his identify; he has a confirmed arm. He led the FBS with 24 completions of at the least 30 air yards in 2023 after which averaged 10.1 air yards per try final season with Atlanta, which might have ranked second within the NFL had it certified.
As for the names not talked about … the apparent exclusion is Anthony Richardson Sr. The third-year Colts quarterback can throttle the ball to each degree, however I minimize him just because he hasn’t proved he can stick on the sphere and won’t even win the starter’s gig. Equally, Tennessee’s Will Levis and Dallas’ Joe Milton III are relegated to backup roles. Washington’s Jayden Daniels does deserve recognition, nevertheless it’s actually powerful to suit each massive arm on a top-10 listing — and he will likely be on loads of them for different traits right here.
Ball placement
1. Joe Burrow, Bengals
2. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
4. Josh Allen, Payments
5. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
6. Matthew Stafford, Rams
7. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
8. Brock Purdy, 49ers
9. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
10. Geno Smith, Raiders
Accuracy and ball placement aren’t the identical factor, and after I’m speaking about an important traits in a QB, ball location carries extra weight. Are you able to exactly place the ball regardless of the state of affairs? Do you routinely get the completion even whenever you should not? Does the ball go to a spot that enables for additional yardage after the catch? Correct QBs put the soccer the place the receiver could make a play, however these with high-end ball placement be sure the receiver is the solely one who could make a play.
It takes conviction from the signal-caller. I take into consideration that scene in “Ted Lasso” when Ted hits three excellent pictures on the dart board. I see that sort of confidence in finding the ball within the 10 quarterbacks listed above. They show the trajectory, contact, anticipation, area imaginative and prescient and the boldness of figuring out precisely the place the go goes.
Final 12 months, I put Burrow No. 1 on this listing. He is again within the high spot. In 2024, he had the NFL’s lowest off-target charge (11.0%), fourth-highest completion proportion (70.6%) and second-highest completion charge over expectation (4.9%, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats). Burrow is the gold normal on this division, and nothing has modified.
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Curiously, No. 2 on my listing hadn’t even thrown his first NFL go till final season. Daniels’ ball location is already that spectacular, with a 69.0% completion charge as a rookie. He throws away from defenders so effectively, and I see an actual really feel for figuring out the second that his receiver is open. It permits him to beat even essentially the most excellent of coverages.
Jackson and Allen in all probability took the most important leaps on this space final season, and each are firmly within the high 5. I might have gone in a number of instructions with the remainder of this listing, although. Twenty-one quarterbacks accomplished at the least 65% of their passes final season. Tagovailoa nailed down a spot within the high 10 after main the league in that space (72.9%). Purdy’s completion charge dipped from 68.7% to 65.9% from 2023 to 2024, however he needed to be right here due to his means to put the ball into the strike zone. Smith made it as a result of he has so many excellent throws on tape; he was second to Burrow in off-target charge (11.2%).
However that meant some actually correct passers had been ignored. Houston’s C.J. Stroud? Detroit’s Jared Goff? It was powerful to exclude them, and I moderately might see both being decently excessive on the listing.
Mechanics
1. Joe Burrow, Bengals
2. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
3. Matthew Stafford, Rams
4. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
5. Josh Allen, Payments
6. C.J. Stroud, Texans
7. Geno Smith, Raiders
8. Dak Prescott, Cowboys
9. Jared Goff, Lions
10. Justin Herbert, Chargers
With regards to mechanics, I am on the lookout for a clean and repeatable throwing movement that does not change even underneath strain. The technically sound quarterbacks at all times function from a robust base, and that enables them to remain in rhythm and ship the ball via the identical course of — begin to end — even when the pocket is not clear.
Burrow is the epitome of that. You nearly cannot inform what sort of throw he is making as a result of all of them look the identical till the discharge level. It is wonderful consistency, and he is nonetheless the very best within the NFL on this space.
Stroud’s mechanics actually pop on passes over the center. Herbert is mainly a robotic on the subject of throwing movement. And although Prescott performed in solely eight video games final season, good mechanics are nonetheless the spine of who he’s as a passer.
I needed to get Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts on the listing however ran out of room. He’s terrific on this division, and also you see it most on the “acquired to have it” throws — particularly downfield. I spent a number of time making an attempt to insert Hurts into my high 10, however who would have dropped out?
Resolution-making with the soccer
1. Joe Burrow, Bengals
2. Josh Allen, Payments
3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
4. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
5. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
6. Matthew Stafford, Rams
7. Justin Herbert, Chargers
8. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
9. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
10. Bo Nix, Broncos
There are two ranges of sound decision-making. First, does the quarterback make the fitting selection on the proper time when every part goes to plan? Clear pocket, open receiver … hit him for a completion fairly than drive a harmful play. Easy sufficient, proper?
Issues get extra fascinating for the opposite situation, although: Does the quarterback make the ONLY selection on the proper time when every part is breaking down? There is not a lot room for errors when passers are pressured to determine sooner than they need. Can he learn out the protection, work out what the opponent is making an attempt to bait him into doing after which make the right name?
It is the third straight listing the place I’ve Burrow No. 1, however Allen and Jackson are on his tail. Allen’s decision-making improved final season greater than another NFL quarterback improved in any trait. And Jackson led the league in wide-open goal proportion, with 34.4% of his throws concentrating on receivers with 5 or extra yards of separation, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. See the open man, throw to the open man. Burrow (1.4%), Allen (1.2%) and Jackson (0.8%) all ranked within the high 5 in interception charge final season, too.
Nevertheless, the quarterback with the NFL’s lowest interception charge at 0.6% and fewest general picks (three) was Herbert. He makes good throws and retains the ball away from hassle. Daniels’ nice decision-making helped cowl up different rookie studying curves. Tagovailoa has to determine sooner than anybody else due to Miami’s lackluster offensive line (common of two.42 seconds earlier than throw, shortest within the league). Hurts’ decision-making exhibits up so much in his dashing; he is aware of when to tuck and run and when to search out somebody coming open for a go. Stafford, in the meantime, does an awesome job forcing defenses to do what he desires along with his eyes, creating higher-percentage performs.
And the way about Nix? Broncos coach Sean Payton simplified a number of the offense for the rookie, however look nearer and you may see that he was nonetheless requested to make a number of powerful calls. There’s loads of high-end decision-making on the tape. He discovered alternatives to select up chunks of yards via screens, however he situated and executed some deep balls. Control him on this space in 12 months 2.
The most important snub is straightforward: Brock Purdy. He was fifth on the listing final 12 months. I might haven’t any downside with him being on anybody’s high 10. I additionally thought-about Baker Mayfield as a result of he is nonetheless bettering in decision-making as he enters his eighth season, nevertheless it’s laborious to disregard his 16 interceptions final season.
Pocket presence
1. Joe Burrow, Bengals
2. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
3. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
4. C.J. Stroud, Texans
5. Brock Purdy, 49ers
6. Josh Allen, Payments
7. Geno Smith, Raiders
8. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
9. Bryce Younger, Panthers
10. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
A fourth straight listing led by Burrow, however who’s going to argue with me? Burrow is dominant in creating operational house, even when it is a muddy pocket. The highest quarterbacks in pocket presence can persistently and calmly slide or climb to keep away from strain. They’ll use a 6-inch shuffle right here and a 6-inch step there to purchase additional time and get off a clear throw. No panic, no desperation. Burrow had the league’s fourth-best QBR from contained in the pocket (71.7), throwing 35 landing passes. Final 12 months, I wrote, “I do not know that anybody is healthier than him within the league at working in a cellphone sales space.” I nonetheless do not.
Jackson is second, and he operates within the pocket in a really completely different — but equally efficient — means. Burrow makes use of delicate actions, however Jackson is extra chaotic, shifting far and wide to search out house. Each work. Jackson edged Burrow in QBR contained in the pocket at 74.9.
Mahomes’ pocket presence is seemingly on show each snap. He by no means panics, holding his eyes downfield as he steps other than strain. Purdy is so underrated on this trait, and Smith places out nice tape each Sunday.
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Younger has had loads of ups and downs over two professional seasons, however I nonetheless love how he works via strain and progressions within the pocket. His actions across the pocket and talent to navigate opponent go rushes had been massive causes that he completed 2024 on an upswing.
Dak Prescott and Justin Herbert had been left off the highest 10, however that is no knock on their skills. They do a very nice job counting on their nice mechanics to make issues occur within the pocket.
Dashing means
1. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
2. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
3. Josh Allen, Payments
4. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
5. Justin Fields, Jets
6. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
7. Kyler Murray, Cardinals
8. Justin Herbert, Chargers
9. Brock Purdy, 49ers
10. Caleb Williams, Bears
Dashing means is a large a part of the trendy NFL quarterback. One of the best within the sport excel right here. It might probably generally imply designated carries. And it could actually generally imply scrambles, when it falls on the QB to capitalize on an open seam or flip a busted play right into a optimistic.
The highest runners on the place present velocity, instincts, physicality and elusiveness, and so they routinely get at the least 4 to 6 carries referred to as for them per sport. I nonetheless have Jackson on the high of the listing as a result of he’s implausible on referred to as runs and scrambles. Final season, he led quarterbacks in dashing yards (915) and runs for 10 or extra yards (37). Greater than a fourth of his 139 carries went for at the least 10 yards.
Hurts ran for 630 yards and 14 scores, and Allen totaled 531 yards and 12 TDs. I thought-about placing Daniels on this listing final 12 months earlier than he made his NFL debut, and he is now locked into the highest 5. His 891 dashing yards ranked second amongst QBs final season. Murray — who had 572 dashing yards final season — could be greater on the listing if not for the actually spectacular ball carriers forward of him.
Mahomes continues to be the very best scrambler within the NFL, however I needed to name out Purdy, Williams and Herbert, too. Defenses can play these guys completely, and it would not matter due to what they’ll do with their legs.
The 2 Colts quarterbacks — Anthony Richardson Sr. and Daniel Jones — might every make a robust case to be on right here. Richardson cannot keep wholesome, and I am unsure who will win Indy’s beginning job.
Second-reaction means
1. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
2. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
3. Josh Allen, Payments
4. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
5. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
6. Kyler Murray, Cardinals
7. Joe Burrow, Bengals
8. Caleb Williams, Bears
9. Drake Maye, Patriots
10. Bo Nix, Broncos
The ball is snapped, every part breaks down and the protection “wins” the play. What occurs subsequent? Can the QB nonetheless make one thing occur, even with the referred to as play lifeless within the water? These are the very best of the very best in off-schedule and off-platform throws, which regularly demand nonstandard arm angles on the transfer. It is the place a quarterback’s creativity can actually shine.
Jackson and Mahomes are elite on second-reaction performs. They continue to be passers first when it breaks down, dancing for house within the backfield and on the lookout for open targets, however they’ll additionally run to threaten the protection at any second. Jackson’s QBR outdoors the pocket was a league-best 92.7 final season, whereas Mahomes was sixth at 75.8. Jackson threw 11 landing passes with zero interceptions when pressured outdoors the pocket.
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4 sophomore quarterbacks made my listing, which could say one thing greater about this new technology. Daniels and Williams have been nice right here since faculty. It wasn’t the very best debut season for Williams, however creating on second-reaction performs continues to be his finest trait. If he grows different components of his sport to match his means right here, be careful. Nix stunned lots of people along with his effectiveness on this class in 2024, and I am expecting Maye to indicate what he can do right here in 2025. The Patriots could be good to let Maye free on a majority of these performs, particularly as a result of they improved his supporting solid. Having higher playmakers means it is extra seemingly somebody will get open late within the down.
Baker Mayfield might have made the listing. I thought of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence. Perhaps Justin Herbert. Even Tennessee rookie Cameron Ward — the No. 1 decide this April — merited some consideration. The deep pool of playmakers at QB makes placing this listing collectively very tough — nevertheless it additionally makes watching soccer very enjoyable on Sundays within the fall.