Of the top 150 NFL prospects on my final Big Board, you’ll see only eight quarterbacks included, with just three among the first 100. If the draft falls that way, it will be the first since 2000 in which there weren’t at least four QBs among the first 100 players selected. Most years, the first round is the round to watch for quarterbacks.

And this year is no exception, as where (and when) Ty Simpson is selected will generate huge ripple effects in this draft. But I expect the biggest run on QBs to transpire in the fourth round. We’ve documented the ups and downs of this year’s class since the beginning and end of the season.

Now, with the draft finally upon us, I have grades on the top 12 draftable quarterbacks. Here is how I rank them and why. 12. Mark Gronowski, Iowa Projected round: 7/UDFAPro comp: Jaren HallBest team fits: San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys With an NCAA-record 58 career wins, including two national championships at South Dakota State prior to finishing his collegiate career at Iowa, Gronowski certainly is a winner.

And he possesses NFL size, athleticism and toughness, as well. Despite what his career 103-27 touchdown to interception rate and 63% competition percentage suggest, however, Gronowski lacks ideal accuracy. He has the dual-threat ability and intangibles to stick as a backup and developmental project, warranting late-round consideration. 11.

Joe Fagnano, Connecticut Projected round: 6-7Pro comp: Bailey ZappeBest team fits: New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints A traditional pocket passer with good anticipation, zip and accuracy to attack short and intermediate zones, Fagnano’s game translates better to the NFL than some of the other Day 3 candidates. However, he’s an older prospect (he turns 25 this month) and one who faced limited competition over his career, playing four seasons at Maine (an FCS school) before transferring to UConn, where his production was boosted by the presence of speedy wideout Skyler Bell.

But make no mistake, Fagnano’s production was eye-popping at Connecticut: a 48:6 TD-INT ratio over two seasons as a starter. He varies his release nicely and takes care of the football, rarely putting it in harms way. Fagnano further helped his stock at the East-West Shrine Bowl. 10.

Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt Projected round: 6-7Pro comp: Max DugganBest team fits: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets Padilla is the underdog that draws so many to sports in the first place. He’s a 5-foot-10, 207-pound former zero-star recruit who built himself into a Heisman Trophy finalist and four-time team captain with victories over both Alabama and Auburn in his career. He’s best-suited for an RPO attack, showing courage and craftiness as a runner (31 rushing TDs over his career), as well as good accuracy on the move.

However, that accuracy wanes as the passes get deeper, and I think he’ll struggle with the tighter windows in the NFL. He’s at his best playing off script, and not every team will be comfortable with his improvisational style and personality. That said, I love his competitiveness and creativity. 9.

Haynes King, Georgia Tech Projected round: 6Pro comp: Tyrod TaylorBest team fits: Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, Denver Broncos It isn’t often that a quarterback leads a Power Four conference in rushing touchdowns, but that was the case with King, whose 15 scores on the ground was one more than he threw last season. Those numbers belie King’s intriguing accuracy (and willingness to test tight windows) on short to intermediate throws. He can throw the ball with zip and touch alike.

He lacks the arm strength of some of this year’s other draftable quarterbacks, however, and, as such, is a bit scheme dependent. As his rushing totals suggest, King is a dynamic athlete for the quarterback position, clocking in at 4.46 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He began his college career as a four-star prospect for Texas A&M but struggled with injuries there before transferring to Georgia Tech, where he steadily developed into one of the most productive quarterbacks in school history.

His work ethic, competitiveness and dual-threat abilities could help him find a niche in the NFL, though likely as a backup. 8. Cade Klubnik, Clemson Projected round: 5 (No. 145 prospect rank)Pro comp: Brett HundleyBest team fits: Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks often get too much of the praise when things go wrong and Klubnik is a perfect example of how they can get too much of the blame when a team struggles. He was far from faultless for the Tigers’ disappointing 2025 campaign, watching his passing touchdowns plummet from 36 as a junior to just 16 (in 12 games), despite his completion percentage jumping to a career-high 66%.

At 6-foot-2, 207 pounds, Klubnik lacks ideal size and possesses only average arm strength. But he's a quality athlete with good accuracy on short to intermediate passes, including on the move. Like a lot of athleti