Let's put these 5 first-round quarterback hopefuls onto an NFL team

Ask yourself this: Who would you have as QB1 on your big board heading into the 2025 NFL Draft? While Georgia's Carson Beck, Texas' Quinn Ewers and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders had been first-round locks for the most part all offseason long, we have seen great starts to this college football season positively impact the draft statuses of Alabama's Jalen Milroe and Miami's Cam Ward, too.

A lot can change between now and the 2025 NFL Draft, but I feel pretty comfortable that these are the five best quarterbacks in college football who could turn pro after this season. No, this exercise I am about to do is not about ranking each of these signal-callers one through five. It is all about taking a look at who they are, what they can do on the football field and finding what NFL teams make sense.

While it is way too early to tell, it feels like for the most part that the six quarterbacks who went in the first round last spring went to the right teams for them. Although Drake Maye and Michael Penix Jr. aren't starting games yet and J.J. McCarthy is out for the season with a torn meniscus, we have seen signs of promise with Jayden Daniels, Caleb Williams and even Bo Nix through the first four weeks.

Because we love putting dudes on teams, let's figure out what teams would work for the 2025 class.

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck

Prior to last week, I had Georgia quarterback Carson Beck as my QB1. Now, I am not so sure. What I do know is he looks like the most prototypical passer in the college game. He reminds me of what C.J. Stroud was during his two-year run as the starting quarterback at Ohio State. No matter what happens the rest of the way for Georgia, I have a hard time seeing Beck fall outside of the top five.

Beck is the type of quarterback that could work anywhere, but will get the most out of his talent if he goes to the right organization. While I think he could be a good fit for teams projected to be picking near the top of the 2025 NFL Draft like the Las Vegas Raiders over the Tennessee Titans, I have a hard time seeing the New York Giants passing on him in any capacity, especially under a new regime.

Beck needs to play better in the latter two-thirds of the season, but I still think he is the No. 1 pick.

NFL team: New York Giants

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers

Eventually, we are going to see Quinn Ewers play again for the Texas Longhorns, right? Of the five quarterbacks I have listed, Ewers is the one I am the least confident will end up being a first-round pick. He has the talent of a Justin Herbert or a Matthew Stafford, but is as brittle as Sam Bradford. For that reason, he is every bit the boom-or-bust type of star quarterback entering the 2025 NFL Draft.

I could be wrong, but I don't see a scenario in which Ewers goes No. 1 overall. I don't think the New York Giants are the right fight for him anyway. While I think he could work on a team like the Las Vegas Raiders, the Los Angeles Rams, or even the New Orleans Saints, the Tennessee Titans feel like the right landing spot for me. Ewers has Joe Burrow's talent, as well as his proclivity for getting injured.

Ewers could be the quarterback who proves Tennessee right for hiring Brian Callahan as head coach.

NFL team: Tennessee Titans

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe

Over the last few weeks, I feel validated in my offseason takes about Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. I said he would take a quantum leap playing for Kalen DeBoer. While I always felt good about his chances of being a first-round pick, I shamefully punted on him being my pick to win the 2024 Heisman Trophy. If I had a ballot, he would be No. 1 with a bullet for me. Milroe is simply outstanding.

We are looking at a player who could be better than Lamar Jackson. He might be QB1 right now. However, I think he will get docked by some NFL talent evaluator as a passer like Jackson did coming out of Louisville. While he could be perfect for a team like the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants or Tennessee Titans, let's put Milroe on the Los Angeles Rams as the next superstar under Sean McVay.

Milroe may need a year before he is ready to start in the NFL, but the Rams might start him right away.

NFL team: Los Angeles Rams

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders

Truth be told, there may be an outside chance that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders ends up being QB1. Right now, I feel like is polished enough to stay in the QB3 range, but probably won't fall past QB4 discussions. In short, I could see Sanders coming off the board in the No. 5 to No. 8 range next spring. He projects to be the next Geno Smith, and that is a compliment to Smith's evolution.

For Coach Prime father reasons, where Sanders goes matters. I don't think the New York Giants have the stones to draft the son of a former Dallas Cowboys great. To me, the Tennessee Titans don't have enough of an identity to handle what comes with coaching up Sanders. I like the Los Angeles Rams, but I love the Las Vegas Raiders even more. Let Sanders go lead the NFL's ultimate rebel franchise.

I would trust Tom Telesco's evaluation of Sanders more than I would Antonio Pierce coaching him up.

NFL team: Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward

So far, so good. Even though the Virginia Tech Hokies pushed the Miami Hurricanes to the brink, that is a rivalry game after all. Prior to what happened in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night, Miami quarterback Cam Ward was the presumptive favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. Again, he still might, but he needs to continue to play well for the Hurricanes to contend for their first trip to the College Football Playoff.

Ward did briefly enter the 2024 NFL Draft last offseason. He then rescinded his name from the pool of draftable players, opting to transfer from Washington State to Miami. He could have been a first-round pick a year ago, but he needed to prove he could be more than a .500 quarterback. One team that I think could use him shares a stadium with Miami. The Miami Dolphins will need a miracle, man.

Ward is the type of quarterback that Mike McDaniel could use a mulligan on after Tua Tagovailoa.

NFL team: Miami Dolphins