NFL teams might be using the 2025 QB class as a guide to determine what they do in 2024. While the media’s focus — including ours — is on this year and this year alone, general managers are peering into the future to help shape present-day decisions. It could lead them to lean even heavier into targeting quarterbacks this year.
On Thursday, lead NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah led a two-hour conference call with the media, which Steelers Depot attended. Jeremiah was asked to evaluate the 2025 class and how its perception could impact the 2024 group.
“I’m glad you mentioned next year because that’s something when I talk to guys around the league that they’ve done their homework on next year’s class,” Jeremiah said. “I haven’t had a chance to watch many of those guys, but there doesn’t seem to be as much excitement at this point in the process about next year’s guys. I think that could lead to some action, spur some action for these teams to try and either take one where they are and maybe even be aggressive and go up and get one.”
On paper, the ’24 class looks far superior to the ’25 group. This year’s class is one of the strongest in recent years. Projections have quarterbacks going off the board with the first three picks: USC’s Caleb Williams, North Carolina’s Drake Maye, and LSU’s Jayden Daniels. Williams is projected to be the top pick for the Chicago Bears, while Maye and Daniels are vying for second place. Two more quarterbacks are strong bets to go in the first round in Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy and Oregon’s Bo Nix. McCarthy could become a top-ten pick, while Nix might settle into the middle or latter half of the top 32.
Should five quarterbacks hear their name called on Thursday night of draft weekend, it’ll be for only the third time since 2000, joining 2018 and 2020. Add in other notable prospects like Washington’s Michael Penix and South Carolina’s Spencer Rattler, and top to bottom, it’s a strong class.
The outlook for the 2025 QB class isn’t as sparkling. Expected to declare next year, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is considered the top prospect, while Penn State’s Drew Allar and Georgia’s Carson Beck could also be in the mix at the top. But the class isn’t perceived to have the top-end talent or depth as this year’s group, potentially leading teams to act now.
Which begs the question: If Pittsburgh goes searching for a quarterback in 2025, will they have options? Or will they be placed into a similar situation as 2022 — quarterback-needy in a class that doesn’t have immense value? The only problem with the assumption that 2025 won’t be a great group is just that — it’s an assumption. Each college football season is full of surprises. No one knew who Joe Burrow was before his incredible 2019 season that made him the No. 1 overall pick. Banking on the ’25 class to be mediocre isn’t an ironclad outcome. But perception means everything, and it could drive how teams approach the position this year.
