Who, and what, should we believe when it comes to the 2025 NFL Draft quarterback class?

The common wisdom we hear is that Cam Ward of Miami is No. 1 and Shedeur Sanders is No. 2, with those two quarterbacks being the only ones truly deserving of being early first-round picks. Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss seems to be the consensus No. 3, but whether or not he is a first-round pick is widely debated.

So, is all of that true? Is it etched in stone? Can we guarantee Ward and Sanders come off the board quickly in the draft, and then Dart follows whenever a quarterback-needy team decides it can’t wait any longer?

Not exactly.

Recent work by two highly-respected NFL draft analysts tells us that things may not be as cut-and-dried as they seem with roughly 10 weeks to go before the draft.

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks has Sanders as QB1 in his newly-released prospect rankings. He writes:

The 2025 quarterback class lacks the pizzazz of last year’s group, but a few prospects could pop as stars at the next level. Shedeur Sanders displayed blockbuster potential as a pocket passer in college, transforming Jackson State and Colorado into winners. Though his tendency to hold on to the ball leads to sacks, few quarterbacks can match his superb timing, touch and anticipation as a rhythm thrower. Cam Ward is a talented signal-caller with the tools to develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber playmaker in the NFL. As a gunslinger with supreme confidence and limitless range, the former Miami/Washington State/Incarnate Word standout expands the offensive playbook with his skills.

Todd McShay of The Ringer had a take this week on ‘The Todd McShay Show’ with Steve Muench that should get the attention of New York Giants fans. McShay believes that the gap between Sanders and Dart is narrower than many believe. He also thinks Dart’s skillset as a more rhythm-based passer rather than an off-script creator might be more in line with what Giants head coach Brian Daboll would like in a quarterback.

“Everyone’s saying it’s these two quarterbacks [Ward and Sanders] at the top of the board. Everyone’s saying it,” McShay said. “I’m saying I’m not seeing a big gap between these two quarterbacks [Sanders and Dart].

“I think it could truly come down to what are you looking for.”

That’s where McShay brought up Daboll.

“My biggest takeaway in this whole process, studying more of Shedeur, studying more of Jaxson is there’s not a huge difference between Shedeur and Jaxson Dart in terms of talent and their potential to be starting quarterbacks in the NFL. That may shock some people,” McShay said. “They’re completely different styles. It’s almost like watching a different sport …

“If I’m an offensive coordinator, if I’m an offensive head coach like a Brian Daboll … I’m looking for a guy who’s a little more in tune with running my offense, who’s going to keep it moving forward.”

We will, I am sure, hear all sorts of opinions about these quarterbacks over the next 10 weeks. I just thought this was interesting because it shows that things may not be as clear-cut as they seem.

NOTE: If you want to watch the full McShay Show, the Dart stuff starts at the 26-minute mark.