Rookie QB Roundup: Tyler Shough Surprises, While Ward, Sanders, and Dart Navigate Growing Pains
The 2025 NFL Draft class was supposed to be all about Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. Ward went first overall, and Sanders was expected to go shortly after.
But draft day had other plans. Sanders slid to the fifth round, in one of the more shocking falls in recent memory, while another name - Tyler Shough - unexpectedly climbed the board.
The New Orleans Saints made Shough the 40th overall pick, and since taking over the starting job midway through the season, he’s made the league take notice.
Shough didn’t begin the year as the Saints’ starter. That job belonged to Spencer Rattler, who was better than expected but couldn’t lift New Orleans out of the NFL’s basement.
Sitting at the bottom of the standings, the Saints handed the keys to the rookie from Louisville in Week 9. Since then, Shough has gone 4-3 as a starter and has the Saints riding a three-game win streak - a spark this team desperately needed.
Statistically, Shough’s numbers don’t leap off the page, but they’re solid: 1,792 passing yards, seven touchdowns through the air, and two more on the ground. That production is even more impressive when you consider the context.
He’s been doing this without Alvin Kamara, who’s missed most of Shough’s starts due to injury, and after the Saints traded away one of his top targets, Rashid Shaheed. Defenses haven’t had to respect the Saints’ ground game, and yet Shough continues to move the ball and make plays.
What’s stood out most is how clean Shough has played. The erratic decision-making that followed him through college has been dialed back.
He’s showing off a strong arm, good mobility, and a growing command of the offense. If he’d been the starter from Week 1 and maintained this level of play, we might be talking about him as a top-15 quarterback statistically.
That’s not to say he’s locked in as the best quarterback from this class - not by a long shot. Ward, Sanders, and Dart all have the tools to surpass him in the long run. But right now, Shough has been the most consistent and productive of the group.
Cam Ward: A Slow Start, But Flashes of the No. 1 Pick
Cam Ward’s rookie season hasn’t gone the way the Titans - or Ward - envisioned. As the No. 1 overall pick, expectations were sky-high.
And while his 2,866 yards and 13 touchdowns don’t scream bust, they don’t scream franchise savior either. Still, the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
Ward has been under siege all season, playing behind a shaky offensive line and throwing to one of the league’s least productive receiving corps. Drops have been a recurring issue, and his pass catchers have struggled to create separation. In short, Ward’s been forced to do a lot on his own.
Despite that, he’s shown flashes - the kind of throws that remind you why he was the top pick. And lately, he’s started to turn a corner.
Over his last three games, Ward has thrown two touchdowns in each contest and has just one interception in that stretch. The Titans have won two of those games, and Ward’s confidence seems to be growing.
There’s still a lot of work to do in Tennessee, but if the front office can get him some help - especially on the outside - Ward has the tools to become a special player.
Shedeur Sanders: Battling Pressure, Finding His Footing
Shedeur Sanders’ NFL journey got off to a rocky start. Once viewed as a potential first-round pick, he fell all the way to the fifth round, reportedly due to concerns about his leadership and how he’d handle the NFL spotlight. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Sanders, it’s that he doesn’t shy away from pressure.
The Browns didn’t hand him the starting job right away - he began the season as the third-string quarterback. But as the year wore on, Sanders worked his way up the depth chart and eventually into the starting role. It’s been an up-and-down ride, but there have been moments where his talent has been undeniable.
He’s working behind a leaky offensive line and dealing with the weight of being one of the most talked-about rookies in the league. Still, he’s made some big-time throws and shown the kind of poise that suggests he could be the long-term answer in Cleveland.
The Browns have cycled through 42 starting quarterbacks since 2000. Sanders has a real shot to break that trend.
He’s still battling for the job with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, but based on what we’ve seen so far, Sanders appears to have the edge heading into the offseason.
Jaxson Dart: Elite Tools, Inconsistent Results
Jaxson Dart may be the biggest wild card of the group. The Giants took him in the first round, betting on his athleticism and upside. And while there have been flashes of brilliance, his rookie year has been defined by inconsistency and injury.
The Giants are 2-13 and stuck in a nine-game losing streak. Dart is coming off his worst game of the season - just seven completions for 33 yards in a Week 16 loss.
It was a tough outing, but not entirely unexpected for a player as raw as Dart. The Giants knew they were taking on a project, and the growing pains have been real.
That said, Dart’s physical gifts are undeniable. He has a cannon for an arm and can make plays with his legs. But that mobility has also gotten him into trouble - he’s taken too many hits, and the Giants have made it clear they want him to be smarter about protecting himself.
There’s still plenty of time for Dart to develop, and the tools are there. It’s just going to take patience and the right coaching to unlock his full potential.
Looking Ahead: Who Will Rise From the 2025 QB Class?
Right now, Tyler Shough is the most productive rookie quarterback from the 2025 class. He’s playing clean football, making plays, and giving the Saints a reason to believe in the future. But the long-term race is far from settled.
Cam Ward still has all the traits of a franchise quarterback - he just needs more support. Shedeur Sanders has the moxie and the arm to thrive in Cleveland if the Browns commit to him. And Jaxson Dart, while still raw, has the kind of physical upside that coaches dream about.
Shough may not have the elite traits of his peers, but he’s proving that you don’t need to be a physical outlier to succeed in the NFL. Sometimes, being solid across the board - and knowing how to win - is enough.
This class still has a lot of chapters left to write. But as the 2025 season winds down, it’s clear: the rookie quarterback race is just heating up.