3. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Drake Maye is a perfect example of why statistics can be misleading for rookie quarterbacks. Maye was given a below-average offensive line and playmaking unit in the 2024 NFL Season. He also had subpar coaching.
Well, heading into 2025, Maye has the total opposite. The New England Patriots hired Mike Vrabel, a proven head coach. The team went out in free agency and rebuilt their offensive line with signing Morgan Moses and drafting Will Campbell in the first round.
Josh McDaniels is back yet again as their offensive coordinator, so on paper, this team is trending in the right direction. Maye was the third-best rookie QB in the 2024 NFL Season, but he could honestly turn into a top-10 passer by the time the 2025 NFL Season is over.
2. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix proved a ton of people wrong in the 2024 NFL Season, but the first two games of his career were shaky, as he threw zero touchdowns against four interceptions, but rookie quarterbacks usually take a little while to catch on.
Nix was a perfect example of this, as he then threw 29 touchdowns against just eight interceptions across his final 15 games and helped lead the Broncos to a 10-win season and their first playoff spot since 2015. On paper, the second-year QB has everything he needs to make a huge leap. The offensive line is the best in the NFL, and new additions in Evan Engram and JK Dobbins are going to provide stable and consistent production.
He was at times in 2024 the best rookie quarterback, but he was not able to land at the no. 1 spot in our power rankings.
1. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels not only had the best rookie QB season in the history of the NFL, but he was also an elite QB by the time the 2024 NFL Season ended. He helped lead the Washington Commanders to just one game before the Super Bowl in a season that we simply did not see coming. Daniels was not only efficient as a passer, but he showed mobility that does rival Lamar Jackson's.
It remains to be seen if Daniels can elevate his game even more in the 2025 NFL Season, but there is no question that he's the best second-year QB heading into the season.