NFL Combine: Quarterbacks Have Question to Answer

While a quarterback prospect’s resume is generally built over years of college action, teams look under the microscope for closer inspection at the NFL Scouting Combine. They already know attributes of the signal-callers, and now seek to answer any questions about them.

Shedeur Sanders is answering questions at the NFL Combine this week – through interviews, that is, not in the way he throws passes.

Of course, the true answer about each NFL Draft prospect is a long way off. But it’s easy for teams to want to learn more and more from over 325 prospects at the NFL Combine, many of whom they will place large investments upon and, in the case of some quarterbacks, ask to become franchise cornerstones.

While Saturday will again be prime time for the annual showcase at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the quarterbacks going through on-field testing and drills, Coach Prime’s son will skip that portion of the NFL Combine. The thought process is there’s more for the Colorado QB to lose than gain in draft stock.

Cam Ward of Miami (FL) is the other top quarterback prospect in the draft class – like Sanders, his eye locked on being the No. 1 overall pick. He’s another signal-caller who could decide at any time how throwing to receivers he hasn’t worked with previously is too big a risk.

At some point, all 15 quarterbacks at the NFL Combine must answer a major question about their skill set. About two-thirds of them appear to be Day 1 or 2 prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, to be held April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

Can he release the ball quicker under pressure?

This is as big a deal as it gets among quarterbacks in the draft class after Sanders tied for the FBS high in sacks (52) in his 2023 season, then ranked No. 1 (42) in 2024. In his final season, it also meant being the most prone to taking a “long sack” when the pressure was 2.5 seconds or more. Among the NFL Combine QBs, his 8.1% sack/drop-back rate was by far the worst.

The sack problem wasn’t new at Colorado, but at least he showed improvement during two seasons playing on the FCS level at Jackson State, under his father/coach Deion Sanders. The 2021 Jerry Rice Award recipient (FCS freshman player of the year) lowered his 35 sacks against 413 pass attempts in 2021 to 23 sacks against 488 pass attempts in 2022.

Cam Ward, Miami

Does the out-of-structure success translate to the next level?

Ward, who preceded Sanders to the Rice Award in his 2020 season at UIW, stayed in the structure of the offense more than expected last season at Miami (77.2%), but he also threw for an FBS-leading 39 touchdown passes and the second-most yards (4,313) by being aggressive, if not dangerous to a fault, out of structure.

It included 8.86 yards per carry on scrambles and the 11th-best catchable rate out of design with a 10.1 ADOT (average depth of target) on those throws. That combo was the best of any FBS player with 50 or more such throws.

Jaxson Dart, Mississippi

What is he outside of Kiffin’s offensive system?

While well-traveled Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has consistently churned out quality college offenses (eight top-16 offenses since 2014), his 2016 Alabama season with Jalen Hurts (as offensive coordinator) marks his only experience with a QB who went on to be a bona fide NFL starter.

As a result, it’s easy to question the limit on Dart’s playmaking ability and whether his college career was scheme-dependent. Mirroring his career, he tied for the sixth-most RPO pass attempts and had the second-highest ADOT on dropback concepts in the FBS last season.

He seemingly will need to excel in a wider variety of ways to be a successful NFL quarterback.

Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Can he push the ball down the field consistently?

Gabriel’s third-place finish in the 2024 Heisman Trophy voting was the highest among quarterbacks, but his 6-foot, 200-pound size is the smallest among NFL Combine signal-callers and last year’s 6.9 ADOT the lowest in the group.

Also among the event’s QBs, the left-hander’s 69.6% catchable rate was the second best on 20+ throws, but he had the highest open target rate on 20+ (71.7%, only one other QB was above 59%) – which implies easy downfield throws.

Even with his savvy style of play, such spacing can’t be expected down the field at the next level.

Quinn Ewers, Texas

Can he protect the ball?

Ewers’ 12 interceptions last season matched his combined 2022 and ’23 total, and it occurred with 35.5% fewer pass attempts (445 in 2024 to the combined 690). His pickable pass rate of 9.38% on throws 5+ yards downfield was the second worst in the NFL Combine QB group and the seventh worst of all FBS QBs with at least 100 such throws.

The only NFL QBs this past season with higher pickable rates on such passes were Tennessee’s Will Levis, Indianapolis’ Anthony Richardson and Cleveland’s Jameis Winston.

Kyle McCord, Syracuse

What happens in a standard drop-back offense?

McCord was the lone FBS QB with more passing yards than Ward (4,779), often the result of a quick-release system. Over 67% of his true attempts were screens, RPOs and quick-game throws (only four other combine QBs were over 50%). On all other throws, McCord was the highest in the FBS draft class in pickable pass rate (8.89%) and the fourth worst in catchable pass rate (64.4%).

He’ll need to improve in those areas; otherwise NFL teams will make him pay when he gets into pass-heavy situations.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama

How does it work out if he isn’t a primary ball carrier?

Milroe started all 13 Alabama games last season, but wound up only 69th in the FBS in pass attempts, which was partly the result of the Crimson Tide taking advantage of his effective running. While finishing with 20 touchdowns on the ground, he had the third-most designed carries (119) and ranked 14th in yards per carry (6.01) on them.

Only four NFL QBs had 60+ designed carries in 2024.

Riley Leonard, Notre Dame

Has he hit his ceiling or is there more ability to tap?

Leonard profiles a bit like Milroe. Much of his success was run-generated (sixth among FBS QBs with 906 rush yards last season), and while he also comes from a blueblood program, his only other full season as a starter before 2024 was at Duke two years earlier.

Similar to Milroe, Leonard had the fifth-most designed carries (116) and was 17th in YPC (5.64) on them.

Oldest QB Draft Picks — Research by Jake Coyne of Stats Perform’s U.S. Data Insights.

Tyler Shough, Louisville

Is age just a number?

The 6-5, 225-pound size screams prototypical for the next level, and last season’s 78.8% catchable rate and 1.5% interception rate are boldfaced on his resume. But only four other drafted quarterbacks have been older during the common draft era (since 1967), as Shough’s age will be 25 years, 208 days when the draft opens.

Unlike those other four quarterbacks, Shough played in six collegiate seasons (five combined at Oregon and Texas Tech before Louisville).

Will Howard, Ohio State

How does he separate himself from the pack?

Being the starting QB on the Buckeyes’ 2024 national champions is a good way to answer that question, but NFL teams are still deciding on Howard’s arm talent.

Howard is accurate compared to other NFL Combine QBs (82.4% well thrown, 82.4% catchable), but he also posted an unimpressive ADOT (8.3) last season. While lacking the big play upside vertically, he was also subpar as a runner (3.53 yards per carry on designed runs and 3.68 on scrambles).