There were a ton of quality QBs taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. Let's rank the second-year QBs for the 2025 season.
It honestly seems like the year to get a starting QB was in 2024, and could again be in 2026. Unfortunately, the QB class in the 2025 NFL Draft just did not seem to be that good, and in today's league, no team is going to sustain long-term success without a high-end passer.
There could be some emerging QBs as the 2025 season progresses. Let's focus on the year two QBs for a second and power rank them here.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking the second-year starting QBs for 2025
Unranked: JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
JJ McCarthy has not taken a snap in a regular season game, so it makes no sense to assign him a ranking for the 2025 NFL Season. What is evident, though, is how good of a situation he is entering in his de-facto rookie season.
The one thing I have said about McCarthy on the Vikings is that however good he is in the NFL, that ceiling will be reached in Minnesota. Kevin O'Connell is a top-tier QB mind, and the roster on offense is flat-out loaded.
McCarthy is still just 22 years old and could have a 15-year starting career with the Vikings if all goes well. For now, though, he's unranked heading into 2025.
5. Michael Penix Jr, Atlanta Falcons
Michael Penix Jr got some late-season action in 2024 thanks to the Atlanta Falcons benching Kirk Cousins. The Falcons were actually quite good in the middle of the year with Cousins under center, but he seemed to decline in real-time. With Penix now the guy, he's got a huge year ahead of him, but there is only limited film on the young QB at the moment.
The other QBs ranked ahead of him were starters for most, if not all of the 2024 season. Penix is fifth in our power rankings.