The 2022 NFL quarterback draft class was arguably one of the worst, and most unsuccessful quarterback classes to date. With Kenny Pickett going as the only first round quarterback to Pittsburgh, and Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder, and Sam Howell all becoming second and third string QBs with no clear future in the league, only one became a star in the league, that years Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy.
But despite Purdy having enough success under his belt, the 2022 quarterback class could go down as one of the most forgettable classes in recent history, but could 2025’s class be even worse?
Unlike 2022, the 2025 class has a clear consensus over Miami QB Cam Ward going number one to Tennessee, and Shedeur Sanders another QB who will most likely go in the top five. But despite both probably being high picks in the draft, their ceiling is more similar to the 2022 than people think. Heading into 2022 it was Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis who were the two big names, but after falling out of the first round and being taken by Tennessee, Willis’s career never really took off, something that is a high likelihood with a number of quarterbacks in this year's draft.
The similarities between the two classes are close, a similar number of QBs, and a similar talent and potential level across the classes. With Dart, Milroe, and Shough being the three after Sanders and Ward, the talent doesn't look exciting for 2025, and has shades of the Howell, Ridder, and Zappe class in 2022. With big concerns across the board for pretty much every QB in this year's class, the worry is none possess the true franchise value an NFL team needs, a clear example which was highlighted in 2022. Willis, Pickett, or Ridder were never going to be QB 1s in the league, and the chances are Dart, Shough, and Milroe may be the same.
But with Ward and Sanders carrying the class on their backs, they may make the 2025 class much better than it looks on paper. With no real standouts like 2023, and 2024, the 2025 will have some serious work to do to beat the 2022 class, and is looking like it could potentially be worse.
With Purdy being inches away from a Lombardi trophy as the last overall pick in 2022, and Pickett winning a ring even though he was a backup, and could potentially become the number one in Cleveland, the 2025 doesn't seem to be showing any flare at all, and really is one of the least exciting quarterback classes in the last decade or so.
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