18. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
You have probably read at this point how high I am on Drake Maye for the 2025 NFL Season. With Mike Vrabel, Josh McDaniels, and an improved offensive line now in the mix, the New England Patriots could breakout this year and be 2025's 'surprise' team.
Maye also played a lot better than the raw statistics might indicate, and it's important to take note of that with the rookie QBs, as the stats do not always tell the full story at all. With McDaniels running the show on offense, Maye is going to skyrocket in a crucial year two.
It would not be a shock to see him not only cement himself as a franchise QB, but also creep closer to being top-10 at his own position. Please, do not sleep on Drake Maye and the New England Patriots in the 2025 NFL Season.
17. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa just cannot stay healthy for a full season, and because of this, he's not really viewed as a franchise quarterback. Still quite efficient when he can stay on the field, he's actually never finished a season with a losing record, which makes this even more frustrating for the Miami Dolphins.
It feels like the 2025 NFL Season is 'the year' for this current regime, and it would not shock me to see Miami blow things up after the season if they can get back into the playoffs.
Tagovailoa came into the NFL out of Alabama with injury concerns, and those have continued into his NFL career, sadly. The left-handed passer is one of the more efficient and pin-point pocket quarterbacks in the NFL who can be quite efficient when he gets on a roll.
However, his ranking is 17th as we get closer to training camp, as he's never taken that leap into 'very good' or 'elite' status and probably won't be able to in the 2025 NFL Season.