The 2024 NFL Draft set several new records, largely thanks to its stacked class of QB prospects. It tied an NFL record with six QBs selected in the first round. The draft also tied the record for receivers selected in the first round (seven), set a new mark for offensive players selected (24), and set the record for most consecutive offensive players taken to start a draft (14). But the 2025 class is the polar opposite.
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The WR class is not nearly as deep, but the QB class is really the one that is starkly weaker compared to recent years (except 2022). There are only two QBs in this draft class with first-round grades from most evaluators: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
Ward is basically locked in as the No. 1 pick (though many say he would have been the fourth or fifth QB taken last year), while Shedeur’s stock has been slipping with every passing day.
NFL media hardly ever agrees on anything. However, they have generally agreed on one thing this year: This is a weak draft class for QBs. Maybe not as bad as 2022, when Kenny Pickett was the only first-rounder, but considering how little interest QB-needy teams have shown in the top prospects, still very poor.
Of course, in our social media-driven world, everyone agreeing on something pretty obvious often prompts at least one voice to drop a so-called “hot take” — just to go against the grain for clicks. This time, it’s Robert Griffin III, who claims this is the most “battle-tested QB class ever.”
“The 2025 NFL Draft QB Class is the most BATTLED TESTED QB CLASS EVER. Shedeur Sanders turned around 2 College programs with 6 different offensive coordinators. -50 starts,” said the former Commanders QB before continuing,
“Cam Ward turned around 2 programs and excelled at 3 after being a no star recruit out of high school. -57 starts… Jaxson Dart broke Eli Mannings passing yards record at Ole Miss, lead them to back to back 10 win or more seasons and the first 11 win season in school history after leaving USC to come to the vaunted SEC. -41 starts”
The 2025 NFL Draft QB Class is the most BATTLED TESTED QB CLASS EVER.
Shedeur Sanders turned around 2 College programs with 6 different offensive coordinators.-50 starts
Cam Ward turned around 2 programs and excelled at 3 after being a no star recruit out of high school.-57… pic.twitter.com/fI3GLqtcsj
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 7, 2025
Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss is viewed as the No. 3 QB in this class. However, you’d have to find a pretty whacky mock draft to find Dart going in the first round. He’s most likely a mid-round pick. Regardless, RG3 continued his diatribe with some more random stats about Jalen Milroe and Quinn Ewers.
“Jalen Milroe went from being benched in 2023 to leading his team to the SEC Championship and winning MVP of the game. -27 starts..”
“Quinn Ewers led Texas to its first Big 12 Championship since 2009, played for a National Championship, and led Texas to back-to-back CFP Semifinal berths despite being banged up all last season. -36 starts”
Griffin also threw out some numbers for Dillon Gabriel, Kyle McCord, Riley Leonard, Will Howard, Brady Cook, and Tyler Shough. RG3’s point about this class being battle-tested seems to hinge on the number of starts, as the rest of the stats and anecdotes feel randomly pulled from each player’s Wikipedia page.
If that is the argument he’s trying to make, it’s a predictably poorly researched one. The top seven QBs drafted last year (the six first-rounders plus Spencer Rattler) averaged 41.4 starts in college (including three with 40+). This year, the top seven QBs according to ESPN (Ward, Sanders, Dart, Shough, Milroe, Howard, and Ewers) averaged 40.9 starts across their college careers.
So, not only is this class far less talented and highly-touted than last year’s group — they’re actually less experienced as a group overall too. Nice try, though, RG3.
