A few divisions in the NFL do have some stacked quarterback talent. Let's rank ell eight divisions by QB talent for 2025.
You can tell, for the most part, just how good a team could be in a given season based on who their QB is. Some teams have essentially started from the bottom with a rookie QB, while others have had the same starting QB for years now.
The QB market has gotten a bit more aggressive over the past five years or so, as we have seen some notable passers switch teams. As we head into the 2025 NFL Season, let's power rank all eight divisions by QB talent.
Ranking all eight NFL divisions by QB talent for 2025
8. NFC South (Baker Mayfield, Bryce Young, Tyler Shough, Michael Penix Jr)
The worst QB division in the NFL belongs to the limp NFC South. Outside of Baker Mayfield, who may barely be a top-10 QB, there isn't another franchise QB present. I am higher on Bryce Young and Michael Penix Jr for 2025 and beyond, but they've actually got to go out there and prove it.
7. AFC South (CJ Stroud, Daniel Jones, Cam Ward, Trevor Lawrence)
The AFC South did see a couple of new faces enter the mix for 2025, as Daniel Jones and Cam Ward came over in free agency and with the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The incumbents are CJ Stroud and Trevor Lawrence, two passers who actually regressed a bit in 2024.
This division does have a ton of potential, but it's mostly unproven at this point. The AFC South is seventh in our rankings.
6. AFC East (Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa, Drake Maye, Justin Fields)
Josh Allen is doing a lot of the heavy-lifting here, as the other three quarterbacks all have some form of uncertainty. I honestly could not be higher on Drake Maye if I tried, so I am firmly in the camp that he is going to emerge as a franchise QB in 2025, but Tua Tagovailoa can't stay healthy and Justin Fields just simply isn't good.
The AFC East could again be owned by Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in 2025.
5. NFC North (Jared Goff, Jordan Love, JJ McCarthy, Caleb Williams)
We're now starting to get into the divisions that are sporting some nice QB talent. Jared Goff is the best quarterback in the NFC North, but both of JJ McCarthy and Caleb Williams could each be viewed as major breakout candidates in 2025.
Jordan Love is a franchise QB, but he's not yet taken that leap into elite status that many people think he can reach. The potential in the NFC North among the starting quarterbacks is absolutely the biggest in the NFL, but we can't rank them much higher than this for 2025.
4. NFC East (Dak Prescott, Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, Russell Wilson)
I am lower on Jalen Hurts than most, but he's at least average. Dak Prescott is very good, and Jayden Daniels is just excellent. If it's any consolation for Giants fans, Russell Wilson has not been one to ever throw a ton of interceptions, so he could take care of the football in that regard in 2025.
The NFC East may be a two-horse race in 2025 between the Eagles and Commanders, and they've got the fourth-best QB talent in the NFL for this season.
3. NFC West (Matthew Stafford, Brock Purdy, Kyler Murray, Sam Darnold)
The only change in the NFC West for 2025 is Sam Darnold now starting for the Seattle Seahawks instead of Geno Smith, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders. Darnold came over from the Minnesota Vikings. Stafford, Purdy, and Murray have been mainstays for their respective teams for multiple years now.
Matthew Stafford and the LA Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021, and Brock Purdy found himself in the NFC Championship Game during his rookie season and in the Super Bowl in 2023. Kyler Murray is someone I have been higher on for a little bit now, but I think most of us are waiting for him to take a leap forward.
2. AFC North (Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Joe Flacco, Aaron Rodgers)
The second-best QB division in the NFL for 2025 is the AFC North. Joe Flacco is back with the Cleveland Browns and Aaron Rodgers signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers recently. There are potentially three future Hall of Fame QBs projected to start in the AFC North for 2025.
Joe Burrow is flat-out excellent, and Lamar Jackson is already a future HOFer. While every team outside of the Ravens have some major roster concerns, the QB talent can't be disputed.
1. AFC West (Patrick Mahomes, Bo Nix, Justin Herbert, Geno Smith)
But the best quarterback division in the NFL and the first division in our power rankings belongs to the AFC West. Three teams feature franchise QBs with Patrick Mahomes, Bo Nix, and Justin Herbert. The Raiders did upgrade to Geno Smith, but it wasn't anything notable. Mahomes doesn't need an explanation - Herbert has turned into a B+ QB in this league and is efficient year after year, and Bo Nix may flirt with elite status in 2025.
In 2024, the Chiefs, Broncos, and Chargers all won double-digit games and made the playoffs, which was quite insane to witness. It's not out of the realm of possibility for all four teams to finish with winning records in 2025.
The AFC West is first in our power rankings.