The 2025 NFL Combine begins on Monday, February 24, with prospects arriving alongside their positional groups over the next few days. During their time in Indianapolis, players will go through orientation, receive medical checks, meet with NFL teams, and take the podium to answer questions from the media. Then, on Thursday, February 27, NFL Network will start four days of televised coverage of on-field drills.

As we have done in past years, our coverage of this event will begin with a series of articles previewing each position group and taking you right up to the televised coverage. Following each day of on-field drills, we will share our opinions on the prospects who improved their draft stock, writing up another series of articles reviewing their performances.

Our preview series kicks off with the quarterbacks—who will participate in on-field activities on Saturday, March 1—that the Detroit Lions should monitor closely during positional activities.

Team need

With Jared Goff signing a contract extension last offseason that keeps him under contract through 2028 and his direct backup, Hendon Hooker, signed through 2026, the Lions are not pressed to make a significant move at the quarterback position. Additionally, 2024 practice squader Jake Fromm is under contract for 2025, likely leaving one spot on the 90-man roster potentially open for a camp arm who could challenge for a QB3 role.

What to watch for

Footwork, balance, ball placement, confidence, and leadership skills are all translatable traits you look for during quarterback drills. Don’t get hung up on completions because there will be a lot of pass catchers these quarterbacks have never worked with and timing will be off, but keep a sharp eye on the player’s mechanics.

Additionally, quarterback is a massive leadership position, so pay attention to what players are doing when it’s not their turn to throw. How do they interact with others? Are they relaxed under the bright lights? Can they flip the switch with the ball in their hand? Do they want the ball? Do they take extra reps? Social skills are a premium trait for this position.

Setting the table

This class doesn’t appear to have a surefire elite prospect, and if any of the six quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 draft were in this class, they’d almost surely be the top overall pick.

At this point in the draft process, it looks like there could be just two potential quarterbacks with starter-level upside, with another handful of options that could become spot-starters/quality reserves at the next level.

While the Lions’ depth at the position could take them out of the running for drafting a quarterback, it’s always good to scout the quarterback class, as there’s a good chance they’ll eventually have to face a few of these rookies in the next few years.

So, with that in mind, let’s look at some of the notable prospects.

The potential starters

Cam Ward, Miami (6-foot-1 ¹⁄₂, 223 pounds)

Ward has a unique combination of traits and has shown the ability to develop throughout his college career, which should give teams hope that he could turn into a solid starter as he develops further.

He gives off some Geno Smith vibes with his pocket presence and ability to keep his head downfield as he moves through his progressions, but his throwing style is a bit unorthodox. It’s not quite Philip Rivers-esque, but he does drop his arm to generate power on throws and the ball comes out a bit lower than traditionalists would prefer. His ability to escape the pocket and extend plays will remind some of Bryce Young—though not as quick—which gives him an added layer of value.

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (6-foot-2, 215)

The best way to describe Sanders is that the sum of his talents is greater than the parts. There isn’t much that is elite about Sanders’ game, but he knows the position very well and shows terrific accuracy and anticipation.

Sanders is reportedly undecided on if he will throw at the Combine, which I believe would be a mistake on his part. His best traits would be put on display in Indianapolis and a good performance could do wonders for his draft stock—similarly to how C.J. Stroud showed off his accuracy at his Combine.

The upside gambles

The battle for QB3 in this class is wide open at this point, and while any of the six players listed in this section could claim the spot, this is the order I see them in heading into the Combine.

Jaxson Dart, Mississippi (6-foot-2, 226) is still developing but has the upside to grow into a starter on a team with the patience to develop. He should show well at the Combine on short, rhythm throws but will need to show that he has the arm strength to drive throws.

Jalen Milroe, Alabama (6-foot-1 ¹⁄₂, 220) is electric with the ball in his hands but he has lacked the consistent accuracy required at the NFL level. He’s a high-upside gamble as a prospect, but he has the potential to be selected in the second round—especially for teams looking for the next Jalen Hurts.

Tyler Shough, Louisville (6-foot-5, 224) has the traits to develop into an NFL starter, but he is turning 25 years old and has an injury history teams will want sorted out during medicals at the Combine.

Will Howard, Ohio State (6-foot-5, 242) showed off his arm strength, accuracy, and athleticism during the Buckeyes’ title run but his performances against NFL-style defenses—specifically Michigan—have raised questions surrounding his ability to quickly diagnose defenses at this stage in his career.

Quinn Ewers, Texas (6-foot-2, 195) is a gamer who has had some of his best performances on the biggest stages but lacks the game-to-game consistency to be considered one of the top prospects in this class. When he is on his game, he can be a lot of fun to watch, but he needs to expand his ability to assess defenses and make cleaner decisions.

Of note: Lions’ new running backs coach Tashard Choice coached at Texas the last three seasons and will be very familiar with Ewers’ game.

Kyle McCord, Syracuse (6-foot-2 ¹⁄₂, 224) is often scapegoated for his ability to not get the Buckeyes to the next level, but he showed growth this past season and could prove to be a solid draft-and-develop prospect. His best skills—quick throws and accuracy—could show well at the Combine.