| NFC SOUTH |
| TAMPA BAYThe Buccaneers will carry three key players on their “final” 53-man roster, then put them on IR. Kevin Patra of NFL.com: The Buccaneers are keeping the door open for a Chris Godwin return early in the season. Tampa Bay will activate the veteran receiver from the physically unable to perform list, placing him on the 53-man roster to start the 2025 campaign, coach Todd Bowles confirmed on Thursday. “He’s taken off the PUP list,” Bowles said of Godwin, “but he’s got to get in football shape and everything else, so I wouldn’t expect him to play early on.” Bowles added that All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) will start the season on the active roster, as well. Despite the move, Godwin, who continues to rehab, isn’t expected to play at the start of the season and could remain sidelined until October. However, removing him from the PUP list at least opens the door for the possibility he could suit up before Week 5. “No, just when he’s ready, just when he’s ready,” Bowles said when asked if there is a goal week for Godwin’s return to play. “He’s been out a long time, he’s got to get in football shape. Tristan, the same way. But they’ll be off and we’ll see how it goes going forward.” The veteran receiver suffered a dislocated ankle in Week 7 of the 2024 season, a gruesome injury that continues to linger over the 2025 campaign. The Bucs have been optimistic about Godwin’s return dating back to the spring, but never pushed the issue of him being ready for Week 1’s game against the Falcons. Godwin re-signed in Tampa this offseason to a three-year, $66 million contract, taking less than he could have gotten elsewhere. Taking the 29-year-old off the PUP list allows him to begin the ramp-up process to prepare to play. The development is welcome in Tampa after recent news that Jalen McMillan will miss a good chunk of the season due to a neck injury. Until Godwin is ready to roll, the Bucs will lean on first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka opposite Mike Evans as Baker Mayfield’s primary targets. |
| NFC WEST |
| SAN FRANCISCOThe 49ers are taking a flier on the wonderfully-named WR SKYY MOORE. Skyy Moore is going from one perennial playoff team to another. The Kansas City Chiefs have traded the former second-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers, according to NFL Media. As part of the trade, the two teams will reportedly swap sixth- and seventh-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft. The trade is a win-win for Moore and the 49ers. Moore gets a fresh start with a playoff contending team, while the 49ers are getting much-needed help at receiver. San Francisco is slated to start the season without wideouts Brandon Aiyuk and Demarcus Robinson. Aiyuk is still recovering from last year’s season-ending knee injury while Robinson is suspended three games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Jauan Jennings, the team’s second-leading receiver last season, recently suffered a calf injury and has reportedly expressed an interest in being traded if the team doesn’t address his contract. Kansas City drafted Moore in 2022 with the hope that he would add some explosiveness to an offense that had just lost All-Pro wideout Tyreek Hill. While the Chiefs won the following two Super Bowls, they did so without Moore doing much from a production standpoint. During his first two seasons, Moore caught just 43 passes for 494 yards and one touchdown. He did, however, catch a touchdown pass in Kansas City’s Super Bowl win over the Eagles at the end of the 2022 season. In 2024, Moore played only six games as he dealt with a core muscle injury. He did not register a single reception Similar to Kansas City, Moore will be asked to complement a talented group of skill players in San Francisco that’s led by running back Christian McCaffrey, tight end George Kittle, quarterback Brock Purdy and receiver Ricky Pearsall, the team’s 2024 first-round pick. |
| SEATTLEA backfield by committee is forming in Seattle. Kevin Patra of NFL.com: Signs in Seattle point to a greater running back timeshare between Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet than expected after Klint Kubiak’s hiring. Walker’s health has played a role, with the presumed starter missing the majority of practices during training camp. His return to practice over the weekend came on the heels of a positive showing from Charbonnet in the Seahawks’ second preseason game — five carries for 45 yards (9.0 YPC) and a touchdown. Asked about Walker this week, Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald pointed to the missed reps while learning a new offense. “There’s a lot of walk-through reps that need to be had, but at some point, to your point, you’ve got to do it on the field so you feel confident to go out there and execute at a high level and play your best football,” Macdonald said, via Brady Henderson of ESPN. “So that’s something that we’re working through.” Walker’s missed time and Charbonnet’s fit in Kubiak’s scheme point toward a timeshare in Seattle. At every turn this offseason, the coaching staff has glowed about Charbonnet. “Zach, he’s just a stud,” Macdonald said. “He just does it every day. Same person, great spirit, strong as an ox, does everything right. I mean, what do you want from a football player? Zach Charbonnet.” Charbonnet’s slashing style fits the Kubiak scheme, and he’s shown that upside in preseason and camp. With the new OC hired to jumpstart Seattle’s offense, the focus shifted to the ground game after last season’s pass-heavy approach. The Seahawks averaged 95.7 rushing yards per game in 2024 (28th in the NFL). Kubiak not only glowed about Walker’s big-play ability but also suggested at the time that we could see him more in the passing game. When healthy, Walker is a big-play threat, but his boom-or-bust style and tendency to ad-lib can lead to negative plays. That off-script approach could be risky in Kubiak’s scheme, but if he stays with the blocking, it would be a dynamite pairing. In the few opportunities, Macdonald has liked what he’s seen from Walker. “He looks great,” Macdonald said. “He’s fast. He’s hitting his targets, reading it out pretty well. It’s exciting to have him out there. When he’s been out there, he’s been really good.” The “when he’s been out there” part of the quote stands out. None of this discussion will matter if Walker can’t stay on the field when the season starts. |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYSomeone fired a shot into Andy Reid’s office in May of 2024, after midnight but the coach was in the office. We are finding out about this in August of 2025. ESPN: A bullet penetrated the glass in the practice facility office of Andy Reid while the Chiefs’ coach was working alone in it last year, The Kansas City Star reported Wednesday night. Reid was unharmed, Kansas City (Missouri) Police Department spokesperson Capt. Jake Becchina told the Star. According to the report, the shot was fired from outside the Chiefs’ facility in Kansas City, went through the glass of Reid’s office and lodged into a wall about 15 feet from where he was sitting shortly after midnight local time on May 4, 2024. The 67-year-old Reid, sources told the Star, now has bulletproof glass protecting him in the office. In all, three gunshots struck the three-story facility that night, sources told the Star — one hitting the third floor, one above Reid’s office and the other hitting an air-conditioning unit. No other people there that night were struck by the gunfire. Becchina told the Star that no arrests have been made in the case, which is being treated as an aggravated assault “because the building was occupied at the time of the bullet coming through the window.” Becchina also told the Star “there is no indication this was a targeted incident at any person or organization.” The Chiefs declined to comment to the Star on its report. Reid is next scheduled to speak to reporters after Kansas City’s final preseason game Friday against the Chicago Bears. |
| LOS ANGELES CHARGERSThe NCAA has declared Jim Harbaugh to be persona non grata and excomunicado as far as college football is concerned for a decade. Urban Meyer doesn’t think the former coach of the School Up North should escape scot-free into the NFL. He points out that an Ohio State head coach once did not evade punishment by a move to the NFL. Mike Florio: The NCAA recently issued the final punishment against the University of Michigan, for violations arising from the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal. The outcome included a 10-year “show cause” order against former Michigan coach, and current Chargers coach, Jim Harbaugh. Former Ohio State coach, and former Jaguars coach, Urban Meyer, believes that there should be an NFL suspension for Harbaugh. “There’s an elephant in the room here that no one’s talking about,” Meyer said on The Triple Option podcast, via Karl Rasmussen of SI.com. “When Jim Tressel was fired by Ohio State and he was given a suspension. Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League, came out and said that we’re going to honor that suspension. [Tressel] went to the Indianapolis Colts to work in the replay room. The Colts, because of the respect they had for the NCAA and the suspension, suspended Jim Tressel, so he was unable to perform his duties for the first six games of the year.” Does Meyer think the NFL will come up with a way to replicate the NCAA sanction of Harbaugh? “Any chance that Roger Goodell and the NFL . . . I don’t think so,” Meyer said. We’ve previously pointed out the NFL’s effort to simulate punishments, both to Tressel and former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor. The league had no comment on the matter. That doesn’t mean nothing will happen. It only means the league isn’t commenting. Still, silence shouldn’t be accepted. Either they’re going to follow the precedent they’ve created, or they’re going to make it up as they go. Whatever they choose to do, they should announce it and explain it. |
| AFC NORTH |
| PITTSBURGHMike Florio has thoughts on QB AARON RODGERS sitting out the preseason games: When the Steelers face the Panthers for the 2025 preseason finale, starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers won’t play. Which means he will have not played at all in the preseason. For the Steelers, that’s a rarity. As noted by Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, it’s the first time that a healthy Steelers’ starting quarterback hasn’t played in any preseason game since before the arrival of Ben Roethlisberger in 2004. On one hand, it’s surprising. On the other hand, it isn’t. While neither Rodgers nor coach Mike Tomlin have divulged the full details of any understanding reached when Rodgers spent six hours or so at the team’s facility on a Friday in March, it’s reasonable to speculate that Rodgers and Tomlin mapped out a loose agreement as to how things would go. First, possibly, they agreed Rodgers would sign just before the mandatory minicamp in June. That would allow him to avoid the voluntary portion of the offseason program without creating questions as to why Rodgers wasn’t participating in the offseason program. Second, possibly, they agreed Rodgers wouldn’t play in the preseason. Third, possibly, they agreed Rodgers would run the offense as he sees fit. Rodgers is smart. Rodgers had leverage. The Steelers wanted him, and they didn’t have a viable, high-end alternative. They’re increasingly desperate to win a playoff game for the first time since the 2016 season. Why wouldn’t Rodgers seek to clarify certain things before he ever signed a contract? Regardless of how or why the situation unfolded, Rodgers will be playing for the Steelers for the first time in the first game of the regular season. At MetLife Stadium. Against his most recent former team. Despite the many experiences Rodgers has had in 20 prior NFL seasons, he has never faced a former team. He’ll be doing it in their building. Jets fans will be loud and unforgiving. A case easily could be made for making sure that, along with the other unprecedented aspects of the day, taking the field as a member of the Steelers shouldn’t be one of them. Then there’s the issue of proper preparation. He missed the offseason. He didn’t do much at mandatory minicamp. By not playing even one drive in a preseason game, Rodgers and the Steelers will be opening themselves up to plenty of questions, if things get rocky in what should be a winnable Week 1 game. The first three games should result in victories. At Jets, vs. Seahawks, at Patriots. After that, it changes. Vikings. Bengals twice. Ravens twice. Packers. Lions. Bills. Wins in September are money in the bank. Losses in September create a hole out of which the team must dig. And the margins between winning a division or securing a wild-card berth are tight, especially in the AFC. The decision to not play Rodgers in the preseason is a calculated risk. It’s still a risk. If the Steelers lose one or two of those first three games, plenty of people will wonder whether it would have gone differently if Rodgers had been better prepared for the games that count. Those in favor of bubble-wrapping QBs in the preseason would say that those who play veterans are also taking a calculated risk. |
| AFC SOUTH |
| INDIANAPOLISCB XAVIEN HOWARD, once elite, is now a Colt. Perhaps he will be elite again. Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com: It’s been a while since cornerback Xavien Howard has played an NFL game, but the Colts aren’t wasting any time making plans for him in their defense. Howard signed with the team earlier this week and is already listed as a starter alongside Charvarius Ward and Kenny Moore III in the team’s secondary. That may seem like too much too soon for a player who was out of the league in 2024, but Howard has a history with defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and he said on Wednesday that he’s been in communication with him about his new team. “I’ve been talking to Lou for a little minute, so I already knew who was Week 1, and I’ve been preparing for it this offseason,” Howard said, via the team’s website. “And I’m ready to go. . . . Me and coach Lou got a great relationship, my first two years in the league he worked with me at the Miami Dolphins, so I’ve been in contact with him, and when I got the call I was ready to come. I’m familiar with him, he’s familiar with me, he know my game and I can expect what he’s gonna call. So I was just excited for the opportunity, just ready to come play.” Howard was one of the league’s top corners at his peak and performing close to that level would make his presence a big plus to a Colts defense that has had its need to improve overshadowed by the team’s quarterback competition. They settled that by choosing Daniel Jones as their starter and making sure they are up to snuff on both sides will be central to their final preparations for the regular season.– – -Ralph Vacchiano of FoxSports.com compares and contrasts New York’s two exile QBs – SAM DARNOLD last year vs DANIEL JONES this year: The best thing to ever happen to Sam Darnold was getting out of New York. He was able to catch his breath and refocus away from the spotlight and the expectations. Leaving behind a dysfunctional franchise helped, too. In a better place, he reminded everyone that he still has talent. He revived his NFL career. Don’t expect history to repeat itself this year with Daniel Jones. It’s not that Jones, the former and failed franchise quarterback of the Giants, can’t resurrect his own career in Indianapolis this season. He clearly has a chance after officially beating out Anthony Richardson for the Indianapolis Colts’ starting job. It’s just that despite all the obvious similarities of a failed New York savior getting a second chance in the heartland, the road to redemption for him isn’t the same as it was for Darnold in Minnesota. Darnold, who first had pit stops in Carolina and San Francisco, ultimately landed in an ideal situation. Jones most definitely did not. “From what I’ve seen of (Jones), he needs a perfect situation around him to have success,” an NFL assistant coach told Fox Sports. “Give him a strong line, put him in the right scheme, put some talent around him and sure, you can win with him. “But (Indianapolis) isn’t Minnesota. It’s just not the same.” No, it’s not. Darnold stumbled into a QB nirvana last year in Minnesota after rookie J.J. McCarthy was lost for the season with a knee injury, forcing Darnold into the starting role. He was on a strong team loaded with offensive talent, with no viable backup quarterback looming over his shoulder, and a head coach (Kevin O’Connell) with a sense of stability and a well-earned reputation of being something of a quarterback whisperer. Jones has literally none of that on his side. For starters, he’s on a questionable team, backed by a defense that ranked 29th last season and with some familiar questions on the offensive line. He does have an elite running back to hand the ball to, in Jonathan Taylor. But none of his receivers — not even two-time, 1,000-yard receiver Michael Pittman, who had a big dip last season (69 catches, 808 yards) — remind anyone of four-time All-Pro Justin Jefferson, Darnold’s elite target with the Vikings. Meanwhile, Jones’ new coach, Shane Steichen, got his job largely due to the work he did with Jalen Hurts and the powerful Philadelphia Eagles offense as their coordinator in 2021-22, but he’s failed miserably with Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick of the 2023 draft. And speaking of Richardson, while it’s nice that Steichen insisted Jones was the starter for the season — “I don’t want to have a quick leash” — that sure sounds like more of a desire than a vow. Will he really keep the Colts’ former Quarterback of the Future on the bench if Jones struggles early, especially since Steichen’s own job is very much on the line? Anthony Richardson Sr. #5 of the Indianapolis Colts and head coach Shane Steichen stand for the national anthem prior to an NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on August 7, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Logan Bowles/Getty Images) “All in all, it’s not a terrible situation for [Jones],” the assistant coach said. “Steichen’s system should fit what he can do. It’s really going to help that he’s far from that New York spotlight and the expectations are low. The talent around him is OK. “But it’s far from perfect. There are a lot of questions. And let’s face it, he was in a better situation last year.” Not the first part of last year, of course. Jones began 2024 as the Giants’ starter, still working his way back physically after missing the final two months of 2023 with a torn ACL. But he clearly wasn’t the same player. He was sacked five times in the opener and wilted under the pressure from there. And it didn’t help that he wasn’t nearly as effective as he previously was as a runner. In mid-November, with a 2-8 record, Giants coach Brian Daboll knew he couldn’t ride out Jones’ struggles, so he benched him in favor of Tommy DeVito in a desperate attempt to salvage his job. Jones immediately asked for, and was granted, his release and quickly landed, fittingly, in Minnesota where he could see first-hand what Darnold had done. Getting a chance to reset and learn from O’Connell had to be good for Jones, even if he was only there two months and never actually played in a game. It’s similar enough to what Darnold did in 2023, learning from Kyle Shanahan as a backup in San Francisco — an experience that helped set him up for the success he had in 2024. Of course, Darnold’s issues were different. He suffered from what former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason calls “The Ghost Syndrome” — which he described as “indecision and anxiety wrapped up into one.” It happens when a young quarterback has trouble processing the defense and makes decisions based on what he thinks he sees versus what’s actually there. That was Darnold’s biggest problem. Jones’ biggest problem is something else. “He was ‘yippy,'” an NFC scout said. “He was so battered behind that terrible line in New York, with no talent around him except Saquon (Barkley), he was bailing out immediately, on everything. You could even see it in 2022 when he ran for all those yards (708, while helping lead the Giants to nine wins and the playoffs). Everything with him was rushed. “That’s a hard habit to break.” Jones has only had nine months to get over the shell shock that came with being sacked 208 times in 70 games over six seasons with New York. And it’s unclear if the Colts can completely break his habit of bailing out on plays and rushing everything when things go wrong. Handing off to Taylor, like he often did in New York with Barkley, will surely help. But while the Colts have a strong left side of their offensive line (tackle Bernhard Raimann and guard Quentin Nelson), there are questions about the unit beyond that. Also, while Steichen will certainly look to lean on Jones’ legs the way he once did with Hurts and planned to do with Richardson, it’s fair to wonder if Jones is the same threat on the ground after two neck injuries and that torn ACL. In Minnesota, O’Connell carefully managed Darnold from the start, as the veteran averaged just 27 passes in the first seven games of 2024 and then 36 per game after that. Taylor can and will carry a huge load for the Colts — he averaged 32 carries over the final three games of last season and 21.6 for the year. But he’s had injury issues, too — he hasn’t played a full season since 2021 — so it’s hard to know how long he can sustain that. With Steichen on the hot seat, he might not be able to safeguard Jones for long. If there’s even an inkling of success in Indy, Steichen might have to push his fragile quarterback for more. The good news for Jones is that despite all that, his new situation is not as bad or dysfunctional as it was with the Giants, where co-owner John Mara once famously said, “We’ve done everything possible to screw this kid up.” But the truth is it might only be marginally better. If the offensive line fails, if the coach starts feeling the heat, if the receivers and defense don’t step up to support him, Jones’ road to redemption could easily be cut short. “I really believe he can play in this league,” the scout said. “Maybe not at an elite level, but a good team and good coach can win with him. “I just don’t think this is that kind of situation.” If it’s not, there won’t be a nine-figure deal and starting job waiting at the end of the rainbow like there was for Darnold. Instead, it’ll likely be Jones’ last shot to be QB1. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| TEAMS WITH THE MOST PIZAZZInteresting exercise from Ben Solak of ESPN.com – ranking the teams from 1 to 32 for “watchability.” We don’t profess to know #1, but we would think the Saints would be 32, just ahead of the Colts. Let’s see: I ranked all 32 teams on watchability, which is different from overall goodness. Overall goodness is about managing game state, sustaining drives, controlling the ball, creating big plays while minimizing them defensively, avoiding turnovers while creating them defensively, playing for field position and setting up shot plays. Watchability is about throwing the ball over them mountains. Watchability is about touchdowns and interceptions and fourth-down attempts and sacks and points, more points and even more points if you’ve got ’em. Watchability is also about intrigue. Teams get watchability bumps if they have new young quarterbacks or interesting coaching changes, and they get watchability demerits if they’re the Kansas City Chiefs and everyone knows the outcomes of the games anyway. (That was a joke. The outcomes of Chiefs games are not predetermined.) So what am I grading watchability on? Big plays. I like running backs who can score from their own 20-yard line. I like receivers who are open downfield even when they aren’t. And I like quarterbacks who launch that sucker even when the safety’s lurking. I like defenses who take the ball away, blitz and sack. My Gen Z brain needs the zoomies. Most NFL teams are hunting big plays on offense, but some teams are still playing the sort of defenses that surrender them (looking at you, Detroit Lions). These teams are the cream of the watchability crop. Conversely, we have some teams that have become so explosive on offense that defenses fear them terribly, and as such, an unspectacular zag to methodical play has tanked their watchability (looking at you, Chiefs). Close games. There are many games that have great watchability pre-kickoff grades and falter down the stretch. Remember how excited we were for Broncos-Ravens in Week 9 last year? For as good as the star players and key matchups were, it was 24-10 at the half and 38-10 by the third quarter. Eventually, you’re going to click into something else. Of course, we’re grading teams here, not matchups — so how do teams get benefits for close games? This is where the boring Chiefs recover some ground. They played in a historic number of close games last season. You, like me, were tuned in to the end of that 30-27 contest between the Chiefs and Panthers in late December. How could you not be? Star players. This is a self-evident truth. Were you more willing to watch the Browns or Titans last season? Both had bad quarterback play and poor records. But one had Myles Garrett. Of course, Garrett is only on the field half the time, and opposing offenses spend a ton of resources minimizing his impact on the game. But Brock Bowers made the Raiders more watchable, as did George Kittle for the 49ers and Bijan Robinson for the Falcons. Star talent really moves the needle. Cool stuff. You might think it’s lame to include fancy football schemes into a watchability ranking, but I’m here to tell you: You like cool scheme stuff as much as I do. The Dolphins have always been fun to watch under Mike McDaniel because their goofy backfield shenanigans lead to impressive plays. Just this past preseason weekend, Chargers nose tackle TeRah Edwards had an interception and rumbling return. You like that? (Weird Kirk Cousins echo, sorry.) Then yes, you like cool scheme stuff! That big fella is only dropping off the line because defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is up to some shenanigans. I don’t watch football games for the cool schemes. At least, not until the All-22 comes out. But they do enhance my experience. OK, let’s get to it. Here are my official 2025 NFL watchability ratings — a full ranking of all 32 teams incorporating all those factors to help guide your remote control this fall. 1. Washington CommandersThe Commanders were the perfect team to watch last season. Twelve of their games ended within an eight-point margin, more than all but three other teams. In the fourth quarter, they had 19 scoring drives in the fourth quarter (fourth most) and surrendered 20 scoring drives (sixth most). A big part of that is that they played fast under Kliff Kingsbury, with the most no-huddle plays of any team since the Chip Kelly Eagles. More plays equal more opportunity for excitement. What else? Jayden Daniels was sick. The Commanders completed multiple Hail Marys, one of which won them a legendary game that broke the Bears franchise. Daniels was electric. The Commanders had the best fourth-down conversion rate in history for a team that attempted more than 10 fourth-down conversions (87%). Daniels was magical. But I also just enjoyed rooting for them. It has been a tough couple of decades for Washington fans, and the team got a huge likability boost in the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn-Jayden Daniels era. I wanted to see them succeed. 2. Baltimore RavensIf you don’t like Derrick Henry standing next to Lamar Jackson in the same backfield, you don’t like the same football I like. That’s about as scary as a backfield has ever been, full stop. And it isn’t just that they’re good. It’s the way that they’re good. Henry’s breakaway runs are like avalanches, seen long before they hit, gaining speed and power as they grow. Jackson’s are like lightning — sudden, unpredictable and spectacular. And that’s just the running ability. Let’s not forget that the two-time MVP had 41 passing touchdowns last season and led all quarterbacks in explosive pass rate. Fun stuff. The Ravens are also famously capable of a fourth-quarter collapse, regularly producing some of the more preposterous win probability charts — bad for the team, good for watchability. 3. Detroit LionsLast season’s numbers for explosive play rate (very high) and explosive play rate surrendered (also very high) may not matter much for the 2025 Lions, who have two new coordinators and a much healthier defense securing the back end. But is an offense featuring Jameson Williams and Jahmyr Gibbs really going to stop scoring on huge plays? The Lions led the league with seven touchdowns from 50-plus yards out last season, and I’m inclined to believe that won’t stop. Then there is coach Dan Campbell, who is perhaps the most watchable head coach in the league. The Lions went for 33 fourth downs last season, including 45.6% on the opponent’s side of the field. In 2023? It was 48.4%, the highest rate since at least 2001. Punts and field goals would top the list of least watchable plays, and Campbell is here to eliminate them from the game. 4. Cincinnati BengalsI don’t default to “incredible offense with bad defense” as the most watchable build — I actually like a competitive game with good defensive stops. But … the Bengals are so fun to watch. Not just because Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are good. Because it is thrilling to watch their Sisyphean march to 35 points, their victory despite that defense inevitably failing them in the end. The Bengals were 4-7 in their 11 one-score games. They enter this season with a new defensive coordinator in Al Golden, but the roster still predicts high-scoring affairs. Cincinnati gave us a few top-tier watchables late last season — the prime-time overtime win against Denver; the last-second loss to the Chargers; the failed 2-point conversion against Baltimore — and should deliver much of the same in 2025. 5. Philadelphia EaglesThose who find the tush push a deplorable bastardization of football and an undeserving cheat code would not rank the Eagles this highly. I, however, am enlightened. I find the tush push a hilariously entertaining play, if not just for the obnoxious celebrations of the Eagles’ offensive line when it once again executes. But it’s also so entertaining because of how geared up the opposing defense is — how certain it is of what’s coming and how desperate it wants to be the team that foils it. There’s no moment in football quite like the pre-snap tension of The Brotherly Shove. Of course, that’s only a small percentage of the Eagles’ plays. The vast majority are enormous Saquon Barkley runs, heroic Jalen Hurts go-balls to A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith, or a key defensive stop from Jalen Carter or Cooper DeJean or Zack Baun or Quinyon Mitchell or Nolan Smith Jr. or so on and so forth. 6. Atlanta FalconsIf you didn’t catch a full Falcons game last season, you weren’t living right. In September, they had a four-game stretch as follows: Beating the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles on a two-minute drive Losing to the eventual AFC champion Chiefs by one score after two consecutive red zone drives ended with turnovers on downs Beating the division-rival Saints on a game-winning field goal after surrendering the lead with one minute remaining Beating the division-rival Buccaneers in overtime behind a 500-yard performance from Kirk Cousins. That was just a month! Now, Michael Penix Jr. is the starting quarterback; he was second in the league in air yards per attempt last year (10.1). The defense is relying on huge returns from first-round rookies to generate any sort of a pass rush. It’s hard to think of a team with a higher ceiling and lower floor. 7. Tampa Bay BuccaneersBaker Mayfield is one of the few players in the league so watchable that he transcends fandom. You cannot help but root for him when he’s jawing with defensive linemen after scampering for a key first down. The collective excellence of the Buccaneers’ offense around him — Mike Evans, Bucky Irving, Chris Godwin — spells a highly watchable experience. The addition of Emeka Egbuka might even make this offense a Bengals-like experience in 2025. However, the Buccaneers are hard-capped on this ranking by the caution of their coach, Todd Bowles. He does not go for enough fourth-down attempts or 2-point conversions. The Bucs’ defense is eminently watchable, though — high effort with sacks and takeaways, all at the expense of big plays. Only three teams gave up more 30-plus-yard completions than the Buccaneers did last season. 8. Jacksonville JaguarsWatching a Jaguars game is a hilarious time (unless you are a Jaguars fan, which is on you, frankly). They played 13 one-score games last season and went 3-10. They couldn’t stop a light breeze defensively with 2.4 points per drive surrendered and a league-worst 14.4% three-and-out rate. But when Trevor Lawrence is starting, they have just enough on offense to make us believe. Brian Thomas Jr. is the sort of star talent that demands eyeballs, and Travis Hunter might soon be the same opposite him. Heck, just watch this team for Hunter! Are you going to be the one person tuning into Patriots-Jets when the first two-way player since Deion Sanders is also playing? Are you going to miss the first-ever game with two receiving touchdowns and a pick-six because you were dialed into the third quarter of Giants-Cowboys? Nope. 9. Las Vegas RaidersThe Raiders argument is very simple. The prime characters are extremely fun to watch. Geno Smith is a high-risk, high-reward quarterback who completes highly difficult passes (fifth in completion percentage over expectation last season, per NFL Next Gen Stats) in the face of oncoming pressure. Brock Bowers is a record-setting tight end who creates more after the catch than any player at his position save for George Kittle. Ashton Jeanty is probably going to do some cool stuff. And Pete Carroll is out there chomping gum and tackling his own players during warmups. The second part of the argument is that the defense might be really, really, really bad. With Christian Wilkins cut and Jakorian Bennett traded, the Raiders have now lost over 5,800 snaps from last season’s defensive depth chart. A good passing game on offense plus an entirely unreliable defense spells all sorts of fireworks. 10. Green Bay PackersThe Packers are tricky to place here. The good includes 74 plays of at least 20 yards last season (fourth most in the league), 21 scoring drives in the fourth quarter (most) and 10 games within one score (tied for ninth most). Jordan Love was seventh in air yards per attempt, as the Packers play an explosive brand of football, push the ball downfield and score late. And oh, I almost forgot: Green Bay was third in takeaways per drive on defense. The Packers create big plays on that side of the ball, too. The bad: They underwhelmed against key opponents last season, going 0-4 against the Vikings and Lions, and 0-2 against the Eagles across the regular and postseason. They were down 28-0 in the first Vikings game, which I turned off … then turned back on late when they got it to 28-22. They went down 20-3 in the third quarter of the second Vikings game before again crawling back in the fourth quarter. And they were down 24-3 against the Lions the first time around, too. These big deficits in the third quarter lose my attention, even if I eventually come back to see their failed comeback efforts. 11. Buffalo BillsOn paper, the Bills might not actually measure as very entertaining. The defense is a line-up-and-play group that had a heroic year for takeaways (17.5% of opposing drives, best in the NFL) but generally surrenders yardage in incremental, unspectacular paper cuts. The unit also lacks a thrilling star, all apologies to Christian Benford. The offense, which has historically been a more explosive group, turned down the big passing plays last season — and really passing plays altogether. The Bills ran the ball more than ever before in the Josh Allen era, and while James Cook ripped off the occasional huge run, it was still a more methodical approach. At 7.9 air yards per attempt, this was Allen’s least downfield-focused season of his career. On the other hand: It’s Josh Allen, the reigning MVP. 12. Minnesota VikingsThe Vikings will be extremely watchable early on, as we’ll all want to find out what they have in J.J. McCarthy. Will they be an explosive passing team like they were with Sam Darnold last season? If so, their rating stays strong. Or will they move to a run-centric approach with the offseason re-tooling of the offensive line and acquisition of running back Jordan Mason? If so, there’s a watchability drop. And what if McCarthy is just … not good at all? Then Minnesota becomes painful to watch, and the channel changes. Independent of how the offense goes, the defense will remain fun no matter what. Zany blitzes, unique players (who’s excited for the first Andrew Van Ginkel batted pass of the season? I know I am!) and a ton of chaos-generated splash plays. Only the Bills had more takeaways per drive last season than the Vikings. 13. Houston TexansThere is no defense in football I enjoy watching more than the Texans’ unit, which is fast, fiery and downright ferocious. Only the Browns had a higher pressure rate last season than the Texans (38.4% vs. Houston’s 37.8%), and only the Vikings had more team interceptions (24 vs. Houston’s 19). But it isn’t just the takeaways — no team surrendered a lower completion percentage than the Texans’ 58.8%. They contest everything, both at the catch point and in the pocket. I will gladly watch the defense win games on its own this season, but I hope the Texans’ offense does its part, too. The running plays will be painful — that line and backfield, with Joe Mixon still laid up with his ankle injury, are highly concerning. But C.J. Stroud is still a star passer, and Nico Collins is still a star receiver. Think about 2023, when Houston was third in explosive pass rate. Let’s just get back to that. 14. Dallas CowboysAt times, Cowboys watchability can reach a terminal velocity, as so many prime-time games and national television slots overwhelm my interest. But they are an objectively watchable team. Dak Prescott throwing to CeeDee Lamb is always a good time, and with the addition of one of the league’s great wild cards in George Pickens, every Cowboys dropback will be appointment television. And there may be a lot of them! Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown, Dallas’ two best back-seven players could both spend the first half of the season on injured reserve. Save for those games where Micah Parsons takes over — and to do that he needs to actually, you know, play for the team — Dallas’ defense will put the offense in frequent holes, forcing Prescott to throw his way out. Just take a look at that running back room; it’s not like they were going to hand the ball off much, anyway. 15. Denver BroncosThe Broncos were a sensation last season. Bo Nix came along strong over the course of the season, and his growth coincided with an emergence from Marvin Mims Jr. But the defense was their main attraction, with league highs in sack rate (8.9%) and total sacks (63). Pat Surtain II had a Defensive Player of the Year season, and Denver rolled out a 37.3% blitz rate for a classically aggressive Vance Joseph unit. Love it. Denver played in few close games last season and went 1-6 in them, so delivering more — and winning more — nailbiters will go a long way to improving its watchability. But I’ll tune into that defense on any given Sunday, especially when the Broncos play against top offenses (like in the Cincinnati barn burner late last season). 16. San Francisco 49ersEven in a down season, the 49ers were a fun watch. They were second only to the Ravens in 20-plus-yard plays on offense. They were 2-6 in one-score games with an impossible and highly entertaining density of special teams foibles. And their defense was unfailingly capable of surrendering the back-breaking drive late in the fourth quarter (24 of them, more than anybody else). The 49ers might go from being entertaining-but-also-bad to entertaining-and-also-good this season, with a familiar defensive coordinator in Robert Saleh plugging gaps and the offense returning to health. That’s all great … but I won’t be watching for that. I will be watching for Jake Moody field goal attempts. 17. New England Patriots“Second-year quarterback with first-year head coach” gets a strong September watchability ranking in New England, just as it does in Chicago. Drake Maye is one of the more fun young quarterbacks to watch — great runner, aggressive thrower, oozing with arm talent — but he didn’t have the receivers to cash his checks last season. The Patriots will be a better watch this year if Stefon Diggs and Kyle Williams (and Efton Chism III?) can elevate that room. Perhaps no team has a greater potential for a watchability leap on defense than the Patriots. Former Lion Carlton Davis III joins Christian Gonzalez in what is now a loaded secondary. Defensive coordinator Terrell Williams was also in Detroit, which runs a ton of man coverage and blitzes all day. The Patriots might not fully sell out for that philosophy, but even if they live with a four-down pass rush, they have Milton Williams, Christian Barmore, Harold Landry III and K’Lavon Chaisson joining Keion White along a much improved front. The Pats might be good. But they will definitely be fun. 18. Miami DolphinsThe Dolphins are less reliably watchable than some other teams below them on this list. Just wait for the inevitable Week 11 game in which both Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill are injured, leaving Zach Wilson throwing to Nick Westbrook-Ikhine — preferable only to a wall of drying paint. However, the Dolphins’ peak watchability games are unparalleled. The 70-point outing against the Broncos two seasons ago! The frozen tundra game against Green Bay this past season! The overtime win against the Jets in which they ran for, collectively, 44 yards — and made Aaron Rodgers look like he was back! Prime stuff. The Dolphins’ secondary also screams watchability, as that group alone might turn the Bryce Youngs and Anthony Richardsons of the NFL into prime Drew Brees and Josh Allen. It’s also a season of desperation in Miami, as the current nucleus needs a playoff berth badly — and desperation can spell either heroic achievement or devastating heartbreak. I will be tuned in. 19. Indianapolis ColtsThere’s a fine line between bad quarterback play that is inherently unwatchable and bad quarterback play that is grippingly watchable. That is the line that separates Daniel Jones from Anthony Richardson Sr. In those games in which the latter starts, I will be glued to my television screen. The enormous throws, the herculean escapes, the mind-boggling interceptions — it’s perfect content. Note that the Colts had six touchdowns of 50-plus yards last season, and five of them came with Richardson in the game. But Jones is the named starter, and even if that grants the Colts a better record, it hurts their watchability ranking. Jones is a cautious, unexplosive thrower, though his willingness to run (and ability to take sacks) does provide some excitement. There’s still so much offensive juice in the form of Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Warren, Josh Downs, Adonai Mitchell and Alec Pierce that the Colts’ watchability isn’t an entirely lost cause. They also played 13 games last season that ended within an eight-point margin, tied for the most in the league, and their 20 scoring drives in the fourth quarter were second only to the Packers. They’re always good for a photo finish. 20. Pittsburgh SteelersWith grotesque fascination, I will watch the reimagined Steelers and their many, many 30-plus-year-old players make the playoffs. I have not enjoyed watching Aaron Rogders-led offenses in the past several years, as they’ve become simple, predictable and overreliant on contested targets. But the rest of Pittsburgh’s roster is kind of fun. DK Metcalf is a great watch for his size and speed. Jalen Ramsey is always fun when he’s jawing, but he might not have the talent necessary at this stage of his career to back up the talk. Still, a Mike Tomlin-coached team is good for one thing more than any other: mudball. Grindy games that are much more suitable for RedZone than full-game form. Much like their real record, the Steelers are destined to be an average team in watchability rankings. 21. Chicago BearsThe Bears might be top-five in Week 1 watchability. One of the biggest offseason storylines has been the pairing of new coach Ben Johnson with second-year quarterback Caleb Williams — and from March to August it has lost none of its shine. The Bears get Minnesota in Week 1, which is a for-real defense that will test Johnson’s offense. It might pass with flying colors: Chicago has the playmakers, playcaller and quarterback. But by Week 6, I may have to look away from this team. Just as a successful Johnson-Williams marriage is in the cards, so is a herky-jerky start, an overwhelmed left tackle position, a still-inconsistent young quarterback, and a frustrating season that is painful to watch. 22. New York GiantsA respectable ranking for the Giants! When Russell Wilson is taking more late-career dropbacks in hopes that his early-career athleticism will suddenly return, I’ll be tuned in elsewhere. But they get the rookie quarterback bump if and when Jaxson Dart gets on the field and a star player bump with Malik Nabers (though much of his production unfortunately comes in the form of speed outs and curls that aren’t as fun to watch). The most entertaining part of the Giants franchise will be the defense, specifically the pass rush. I will be glued to my seat in Week 1 when Abdul Carter joins Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux for his first third-and-long opportunity. If that group is all we hope it will be, I’ll be in the same seat for all subsequent weeks. 23. Tennessee TitansI’m excited to watch the Titans, and you should be too. They have a talented gamer of a first overall pick in QB Cam Ward, a good (not perfect, but good) offensive nucleus around him and a defense full of high-effort playmakers deployed creatively by coordinator Dennard Wilson. Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat are a force in the middle, while Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and Roger McCreary love to fly around and make plays. (Don’t ask me about the linebacker position, it’s not important.) But most importantly: Cam Ward! He might change the franchise forever! By November, they’re going to be flexing Titans games to prime time and asking if Ward’s rookie season was better than Daniels’ or Stroud’s! (Probably not, but let me dream.) 24. New York JetsThe Jets will get a decent boost this season, as their offense firmly moves from the bad and painful category (watching another Aaron Rodgers contested slant on third-and-6) to the bad and hilarious category (watching Justin Fields run around for four seconds on third-and-6 before taking a 12-yard sack). Fields’ explosive rushing ability may even spell a halfway decent season on offense — you, like me, enjoyed significant stretches of Fields’ 2022 season of 1,143 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns with the Bears. The Lions’ defense under Aaron Glenn was extremely watchable even when its personnel suffered horrible injury luck, so we can be confident that Glenn’s defense will remain watchable in New York. It might be struggling with depth, but any unit fielding Sauce Gardner, Quinnen Williams, Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood is enjoyable to me. 25. Los Angeles ChargersI fear the watchability of the Chargers, as the actual quality of this team was greatly hurt by the seasonlong loss of Rashawn Slater. The Chargers are at their most watchable when Justin Herbert is not being lampooned by his own teammates, and with a key weakness at tackle now that Trey Pipkins III is back in the starting lineup, it certainly feels like we’re in for another “watching-between-my-fingers-over-my-face” sort of season. The good news is Herbert and Ladd McConkey will always be watchable, especially in a second-half deficit. Remember that Bengals game? Sheesh. The Chargers’ defense suffers the unfortunate designation of being better than it is watchable. This isn’t a high blitz team or a high takeaway team. The bend-but-don’t-break philosophy works well on the field, and as a scheme nerd, I have an enormous appreciation for the discipline of Jesse Minter’s unit. But it’s not built for fireworks. Sorry, I’m putting on the Browns. (Not really.) 26. Carolina PanthersThe Panthers are another huge team with potential here. The Bryce Young resurgence last season was awesome, but nobody was really watching it until the last few weeks. Now, with a shiny new first-round receiver in Tetairoa McMillan, the NFL public will be dialed in for all of September to see if Young converts last year’s peaks into sustainable play. If so, we will all enjoy our weekly dose of Young hanging in the pocket and throwing bombs to McMillan, Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker. That’s a fun play style. The Panthers may break as “watchable but still bad” if the defensive makeover doesn’t take. Five new starters were acquired via free agency and the draft for that side of the ball, and they added a couple of depth guys to boot. If they coalesce quickly, the Panthers may break as “watchable and actually decent.” A pass rush needs to come from somewhere on the edges for this defense to make the difference both in terms of actual quality (their coverage needs more pressure help) and in terms of watchability (sacks are cool). 27. Los Angeles RamsThe Rams with Matthew Stafford at quarterback are extremely watchable. Everyone loves watching Stafford. Big arm, making tough plays, gritty dude, no-look passes, side-arm releases. Think about how fun that Rams team was to watch down the stretch last season, with fourth-quarter drives against the Eagles in the snow and the defensive line takeover moments. The Rams with Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback are still watchable, just in a much more grotesque way. Watching an offensive mastermind squeeze a functional offense out of Garoppolo lost its shine in the early 2020s, when Kyle Shanahan was authoring playoff runs that eventually ended when Garoppolo got hurt or exposed. Can McVay do the same four years later? I’m curious to find out, even if I’d prefer one last stouthearted Stafford year. 28. Arizona CardinalsOn the scheme nerd rankings, the Cardinals come in much higher. Some of that trickles into their overall watchability, of course. When Budda Baker makes those huge third-down plays, it’s often because he’s roaming around the field in his unique, schemed-up role. Those big James Conner runs are the product of a huge offensive commitment to getting Conner matched up with defensive backs. The Cardinals’ coaching staff has the goods. Unfortunately, they just aren’t an exciting watch otherwise. Their bend-don’t-break defensive philosophy leads to long drives with low scoring outputs (third in field goals forced per drive and fourth worst in punts forced per drive). Their league-leading explosive rush rate couldn’t save the 21st-ranked explosive pass rate. It’s not a bad offense at all (sixth in success rate and ninth in points per drive!); it’s just not particularly exciting. 29. Seattle SeahawksBoth offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and quarterback Sam Darnold delivered some of the greatest watchability of last season. It was Kubiak in the early season in New Orleans, when he had Derek Carr dropping historic offensive efficiency throughout September. And it was Darnold over the course of the year, when he turned an early-season curiosity into a season-long reclamation story before the bill came due in the postseason. If Kubiak and Darnold can reconjure some of their collective magic, the Seahawks should be quite intriguing. But we don’t know for certain that Darnold has fully turned the corner into competent quarterbackhood, so the floor hurts them here. Teams with elite defenses — of which the Seahawks might be included — but non-functional quarterbacking are far less watchable than we think. See: Jets, New York (2024). 30. Kansas City ChiefsThe Chiefs were not very fun to watch last season, as was exhaustively covered. Kansas City ranked 28th in explosive pass rate and 30th in explosive rush rate. The Raiders were the only other team in the bottom five in both areas. Kansas City was also fourth in explosive pass rate surrendered and third in explosive run rate surrendered. The 49ers were the only other team in the top five in both of those areas. The Chiefs drew blood from the stone of every drive with barely-there third-down conversions chased by just-enough fourth-down conversions, over and over and over again. Their 6.5 plays per drive led the league. Even Patrick Mahomes’ magic was not enough to make those games enjoyable to view. But this season should be better if Rashee Rice is back to full strength after his suspension. If Xavier Worthy takes the next step as a deep threat. If Marquise Brown is healthy. And if Travis Kelce can turn back the clock and recover some explosiveness. Just four big “ifs” for the Chiefs to be watchable again. 31. New Orleans SaintsNobody is excited to watch the Saints in 2025, including Saints fans. The interesting things are the quarterback battle, the return to health of receivers Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed and the defensive philosophy flip from outgoing coach Dennis Allen to incoming defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. Kellen Moore might have a cool designer play here and there, too. Otherwise, this is the first in what will likely be multiple recovery seasons for the Saints, who begin the long trod out of cap hell. I’ll catch the odd Spencer Rattler highlight on the timeline, but New Orleans will be inherently not fun to watch on the field. 32. Cleveland BrownsNo, thank you. Well, actually, I’ll watch the first Shedeur Sanders start in Week 12 just to enjoy the pageantry of it all. But other than that, no thanks. Okay, we can buy the Browns as least watchable (although our vote would still be the Saints). BUT – Wouldn’t you watch the #27 Rams (with MATTHEW STAFFORD) and the #30 Chiefs (with PATRICK MAHOME) when the #8 Jaguars were playing the #18 Dolphins on another channel? |
| 2026 DRAFT QBsMike Renner of CBSSports.com has QB ARCH MANNING atop his board of QBs for next spring’s draft: Here are my top 10 quarterback prospects (ordered from No. 1 to No. 10) ahead of the college football season. Note: ⭐️ represents each player’s 247Sports star rating as a high school recruit Arch ManningTEXAS • QB • #166-4, 216 | Redshirt sophomore | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️View ProfilePlayer type: Total packageRoom for improvement: ExperienceEarly grade: Top 10I broke down all the strengths and weaknesses we’ve seen from the next generation Manning on 108 dropbacks in college so far. It’s safe to say the pros far outweigh the cons for Arch Manning. He’s like the last generation of Mannings updated for today’s NFL with legit running ability that has to be accounted for. That’s a scary thought. The only question is: will he declare? Garrett NussmeierLSU • QB • #136-1, 205 | Redshirt senior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️View ProfilePlayer type: GunslingerRoom for improvement: Avoiding the big mistakeEarly grade: Late first round Earlier this week I dove deep into Garrett Nussmeier’s game and came to the conclusion that he should be considered the favorite to go No. 1 overall with Arch Manning likely to return for his redshirt junior season. Nussmeier’s NFL readiness is unmistakable on tape. It might have something to do with NFL bloodlines of his own, as Nussmeier’s father, Doug, is a former NFL quarterback and current Saints offensive coordinator. John MateerOKLA • QB • #106-1, 224 | Redshirt junior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️View ProfilePlayer type: Dual-threat flamethrowerRoom for improvement: Progression timingEarly grade: Late first roundAs crazy as it sounds after backing up Cameron Ward for two seasons, John Mateer may have even better tools than last year’s No. 1 overall pick. In terms of pure rushing ability, he’s right up there with LaNorris Sellers for the best in the class. With a running back-esque build, Mateer went for over 1,000 yards on the ground last season (by NFL stat keeping standards). In terms of arm talent, well, you be the judge. At the start of last season, he was truly all over the place as a passer. He had numerous head-scratching throws a game and his play style was frenetic. Down the stretch, though, his twitch pocket movements matched his progressions tighter and he threw with more consistent mechanics. I’m willing to buy into the marked improvement I saw on tape over the course of last season given the caliber of athlete Mateer is. There’s a good chance Mateet is the next transfer to have a meteoric rise at his new destination. Cade KlubnikCLEM • QB • #26-2, 210 | Senior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️View ProfilePlayer type: All-around athleteRoom for improvement: Filling out frameEarly grade: Early Day 2Cade Klubnik is a twitchy mover and thrower. While his release is a little funky, it gets NFL-caliber zip, as he’s one of the best already attacking downfield in the class. From a pure physical tools perspective, Klubnik reminds me of Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy. What makes me most excited about Klubnik is the growth we’ve seen from him from a freshman starter until now. The man has improved by leaps and bounds. If that continues, he’ll be a first-rounder. Drew AllarPSU • QB • #156-5, 235 | Senior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️View ProfilePlayer type: Looks great in shortsRoom for improvement: AccuracyEarly grade: Early Day 2Drew Allar has some ultra-high-end traits to develop. Between his size, quick feet and rocket-launcher arm — Allar has been all over NFL radars since he was a true freshman. It’s the consistency with his mechanics and decision-making that needs to improve. The former is obvious when you watch his inconsistent spirals throughout the game. He doesn’t sequence naturally, and it has led to accuracy issues that, while improving, were still present last year. It’s that improvement — and the fact that Allar is a gamer — that I keep going back to as reasons to buy into him eventually being a franchise quarterback prospect. Fernando MendozaIND • QB • #156-5, 225 | Redshirt junior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️View ProfilePlayer type: Movable pocket passerRoom for improvement: Pocket awarenessEarly grade: Early Day 2Fernando Mendoza may be QB5, but he still checked in amongst the top 32 on my preseason draft board. He’s got a big frame with a plus NFL arm. I love how he was able to overcome a porous offensive line with his quick decision making and willingness to attack tight windows. While he’s a solid-enough straight-line athlete, he’s not a loose mover to make defenders miss. He’ll have to win primarily from the pocket at the next level. Mendoza’s evaluation should be much cleaner with an improved supporting cast this year at Indiana compared to the past two seasons at Cal. LaNorris SellersSC • QB • #166-3, 240 | Redshirt sophomore | ⭐️⭐️⭐️View ProfilePlayer type: Tools-y projectRoom for improvement: Comfort in dropback passing gameEarly grade: ???Truthfully, ranking LaNorris Sellers at this point on his developmental curve feels foolish. He’s the most gifted athlete in the class, but also the most raw. He’s certainly in the Trey Lance/Anthony Richardson mold of prospect now, but with three years of eligibility left he doesn’t have to be when he comes out. Like Lance and Richardson, there isn’t a box physically that Sellers doesn’t tick. Size, speed, arm strength — it’s all there at a high-level. He’s the single most impressive physical specimen in this quarterback class, but having just turned 20 this summer Sellers is a long way from an NFL quarterback. Josh HooverTCU • QB • #106-2, 200 | Redshirt junior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️View ProfilePlayer type: GunslingerRoom for improvement: Consistent baseEarly grade: Early Day 3TCU was quietly one of the best passing offenses in America last season. While two top 100 drafted receivers had a lot to do with it, the man getting them the football played a big role as well. Josh Hoover is a very natural thrower who has confidence in his arm to make any throw. His off-platform and tight pocket accuracy is outstanding, as he is seemingly unfazed by upcoming collisions despite being on the smaller side. I love that he only took 15 sacks last season — the fewest of any quarterback with at least 3,200 passing yards last year in college football (Hoover finished with 3,952 passing yards). And he did it behind an offensive line that didn’t have anyone drafted. While there’s a big gap after number six in this quarterback class, Hoover has the building blocks to play in the league. Sam LeavittARIZST • QB • #106-2, 205 | Redshirt sophomore | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️View ProfilePlayer type: CreatorRoom for improvement: Play in structureEarly grade: Day 3Sam Leavitt is more athlete than quarterback at the moment, but the flashes get you excited. He can really run, racking up 502 yards and five scores on the ground last season. Leavitt has a very loose arm that’s accurate on the move. He almost seems more comfortable with a little movement at times. His play within structure needs work, but last year was only his first at Arizona State after transferring from Michigan State. Given where he’s at, if Leavitt doesn’t make a massive leap this season, I’d expect him to return to Arizona State in 2026. Nico IamaleavaUCLA • QB • #96-6, 215 | Redshirt sophomore | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️View ProfilePlayer type: Tools-y projectRoom for improvement: Deep ballEarly grade: Day 3It doesn’t take long to see why Iamaleava was the No. 2 quarterback recruit behind Arch Manning in 2023 and a consensus five-star. The lanky quarterback can run like a deer and drill throws outside the numbers on a line. Even with the obvious caveat of the Tennessee offense last season doing him no favors, Iamaleava still showed glaring room for improvement. His deep ball was all over the place even with the ample opportunities provided in the Tennessee offense. He also was very quick to turn into a runner, which led to some unnecessary sacks. The talent is evident, but it might be a few years away. |
