In the latest episode of The GM Shuffle, former NFL GM Mark Dominik and Dave Ross evaluate the top quarterbacks heading into the 2025 NFL Draft and how their skill sets will translate to the NFL.
With all the free agency hoopla going on, it is easy to forget that the NFL Draft is just a month away. Although teams are acquiring key pieces on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, no position is more important than quarterback. Cam Ward is expected to be the first quarterback taken off the board and is the favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook to be the No. 1 overall pick at -295. Dominik agrees and believes Ward will be selected by the Tennessee Titans. He added we will learn more about whether Ward is the guy for the Titans as the days of free agency continue because the idea of Will Levis getting another year will not happen. Dominik explained that Ward is the best quarterback in this class and possesses the intangibles you like in a quarterback. He shared that Ward loves throwing the football and is a SLINGER. Ward is a true pocket passer, albeit with a sidearm release and above-average escapability. Dominik said a critique of Ward would be that he throws a lot with his upper body and that as his body is being torqued, sometimes his feet are not set. He added that you want to see quarterbacks grow in the pocket and used the example of Drew Brees, whose eyes and top half extend when he is in the pocket. However, the critique is not a trait that will make him a bust of a prospect. When Dominik watches Ward’s film, he compares him to Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray in terms of body frame and throwing motion. Titans fans will gripe at the comparison but have to realize Murray had a great season and, like Ward, he will continue to improve.
With the Cleveland Browns sitting at No. 2 overall, Dominik believes they have no choice but to select Shedeur Sanders, given the state of their quarterback room. However, Dominik does not have Sanders as high on his draft board as others. When he would build a draft board in his GM days, he would organize prospects into categories of 1-0 (1-10 pick), 1-5 (11-20 pick), and 1-9 (21-32 pick). Further, Dominik sees Ward as a 1-0 tier prospect, while he classifies Sanders as a 1-5. Dominik notes that he loves Sanders’ arm strength and playmaking ability. He also says Sanders is someone who thinks quarterback first, so the narrative that you have to teach him how to play quarterback is false. Dominik stressed that he is capable of playing quarterback at the next level and added that he also has great foot quickness and knows how to move in the pocket. Although he is not as fast as his dad, Coach Prime, he can move enough to finish the job. He does think that Sanders has to improve on how he holds the ball during his dropbacks. Sanders tends to keep the ball low, and Dominik worries about him being a victim of sack fumbles at the next level. He must work to keep the ball high and tight at the next level. While critics praise Sanders for his accuracy and his 74% completion percentage, he took A LOT of sacks at Colorado. He would rather take a sack than throw an incompletion. Further, Dominik thinks that coaching staff and scouts will have to have real conversations with Sanders during the draft process about whether he is just padding his stats to make his completion percentage high. Dominik’s comparison for Sanders is Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — a quarterback who does not want to run but instead wants to throw the football all over the field.
A quarterback who has been darting up draft boards is Jaxson Dart. Dominik is adamant that Dart will go in the top 10 despite him not being talked about as much. The positives about Dart’s game are that he has a great physical frame, stands tall in the pocket and grows when he throws. He has deep ball accuracy, and Dominik highlighted that he may be a better athlete than he gave him credit for. He contends that Dart can run the football effectively and in some of the major quarterback categories, such as completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdowns and quarterback rating, improved from his freshman to senior year. The area where Dart has to improve is in his throwing motion. He has a bit of a wind-up throwing motion that does not allow for him to get the ball out quickly like Ward or Sanders. Given how good defensive backs are in the NFL, an extra second on Dart’s throwing motion could lead to interceptions and it will be key for him to fix that. Dominik’s player comp for Dart is Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Staying in the SEC, some wondered if former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers would declare for the NFL Draft or stay in college. Dominik says Ewers is leaving school at the right time and has faced a great deal of adversity, whether it was Arch Manning nipping on his heels or the pressure of being the quarterback at Texas. Dominik noted that Ewers had handled the adversity well and sees him as a CLASSIC pocket passer. He can move around and escape in the pocket, but he is no threat to run. His arm talent may not be the best, but Dominik champions Ewers’ mental strength. He knows where to go with the football and knows how to make the right throws. Dominik said that when you talk to players around the Longhorns program, they have a great deal of respect for his work ethic and leadership, so he has a lot of potential. He compares Ewers to Russell Wilson, someone who may not have had the best arm talent coming out of college, but his leadership and ability to leverage the talent around him has allowed him to find success.
Last but not least, Dominik evaluates former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe. He pointed to his arm strength and talent as aspects of his game that jump out. Dominik contends that Milroe is PHYSICAL when running the football, and that aspect of his game will make him a BEAST to deal with in the NFL. Statistically, he had 426 completions and 375 rush attempts during his college career and those stats remind Dominik of Lamar Jackson at Louisville, where the Ravens QB had 619 completions and 655 rushing attempts. While Milroe will have to work on his footwork and progressions, Dominik still believes Milroe has TREMENDOUS potential.
Listen to the full episode below for the complete discussion and more from The GM Shuffle!
Show Breakdown
Recapping the Lastest NFL Free Agency News + Previewing the Top NFL QB Prospects
On The GM Shuffle, hosts Mark Dominik and Dave Ross recap the latest NFL free agency moves and trades including Myles Garrett’s historic non-QB contract extension with the Cleveland Browns! Mark also shares his thoughts about four of the top QB NFL prospects ahead of the NFL Draft.
VIDEO
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