8. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I love Baker Mayfield, and I won’t apologize for it. While Mayfield has the gunslinger trait to him – and that is a double-edged sword, to be certain – he’s also grown so much as the leader of a franchise. The situation for him and the Bucs was tailor-made and almost feels like the football gods intervened on this one. He’s got arguably the best collection of playmakers in the NFC South and even with the offensive staff continually having guys plucked away, Mayfield has a new “floor” as a starter and it’s near the top tier.
7. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
There is so much to love about Jayden Daniels and what we saw from him as a rookie. When the Commanders needed a big throw on third down, he delivered. He spreads the ball around to all of the guys in the offense. He was the tide that raised all boats in the harbor last year. He can run exceptionally well. The Kliff Kingsbury offense seemed to be perfect for him. Daniels showed in his rookie year that his Heisman season at LSU was anything but a fluke and now he’s got a chance to establish himself as maybe a top-5 QB in the league this coming season.
6. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Over the past two seasons, Jared Goff has thrown 67 touchdown passes. It’s going to hurt a little bit to have Ben Johnson gone, but Goff is ready to spread his wings and do this thing on his own, too. Goff isn’t a puppet out there on the field, but instead is one of the NFL’s best field generals. He’s accurate, he sees the field well, and he’s got a killer instinct. His touchdown percentage last year climbed up to 6.9 percent, and his floor as a player right now might be a 30-touchdown type of thing. The game has slowed down for him every year since he got to Detroit.
5. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
This might feel like my hottest take yet, but Jordan Love looks like a top-5 quarterback in the NFL, and I think he’s going to prove that he definitively is in 2025. Love is an elite talent with his ability to put the ball in spots that most quarterbacks wouldn’t even dare to try and get it. He’s got a great feel for navigating the pocket, he can change arm slots, and he hits layups as well as he can hit deep shots. Love has grown tremendously in his first two years as a starter in Matt LaFleur’s offense, and he’s going to take the leap into superstardom this season.