Many quarterbacks who get drafted just don't pan out in the NFL, and these three passers must shed the bust label in 2025. Playing QB in the NFL is easily the hardest thing to do in professional sports, and NFL front offices deciding on which QB to draft is right up there as well.
There is truly so much that goes into just one NFL play, so the QBs who are able to play at a high level are truly special. There are many passers in the NFL who are just OK and are 'just a guy,' and some of them truly need to have a special year in 2025 to shed the bust label.
Which three QBs of note have to do this next season?
NFL Draft: 3 quarterbacks who must shake the 'bust' label in 2025 season
Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Maybe one of the worst starting quarterbacks we have seen in quite some time, Anthony Richardson has not come close to living up to his NFL Draft billing. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and has truly played like a seventh-rounder.
Richardson is marvelously inaccurate and just can't do much in the passing game. If Richardson hopes to shed this bust label, he's got to put it all together in 2024 with the Colts. And it's not like the Colts have a bad roster - they've got a ton of offensive talent, so it's not a matter of the situation around him. Anthony Richardson may only get one last shot at being a starting QB in the NFL.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
This one might be a bit controversial, as Trevor Lawrence has never really been in a stable situation with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags have cycled through head coaches and general managers like they're nothing. Because of this, much of the blame does not fall on Lawrence's shoulders. However, he was constantly called a generational player and was the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Now entering year five in the NFL, it does feel like this year has to be the year where Lawrence finally settles into being the type of QB the Jags hoped for when they used that pick on him. As of now, does the NFL landscape look at Trevor Lawrence as being anything more than just average?
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Another controversial one here; Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins is an excellent passer, period. He knows how to play QB in the NFL, but the argument against the QB is that he's not able to truly carry a team when needed, and his injury history is notable.
Both things are true - and on most days, Tua Tagovailoa is the 12th or 13th-best QB in the NFL. He's also a QB who tends to play based on the skill level of his surroundings. In 2025, Tagovailoa really needs to prove the NFL world wrong. Not only does he need to stay on the field for a full season, but he's also got to lead this team into the playoffs and even to a playoff win.
He's got to do things in 2025 that he's never done before in the NFL to prove the doubters wrong. If not, he may end up with a lengthy career as a rebranded Kirk Cousins.