NFL QB first-rounders a key, not a cinch
26 of 32 teams starting a former first rounder — for now.
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While NFL history is littered with first-round quarterbacks who never came close to living up to expectations, it remains obvious that selecting one in the first round usually provides the best opportunity for success.
As training camps are set to open around the league, there are currently 124 quarterbacks on rosters. Of that total, 36 (29.0 percent) entered the league as No. 1 picks, of which 26 are projected to be starters when the season opens in September.
Seven teams — Buffalo, Cleveland, Indianapolis, L.A. Chargers, Miami, N.Y. Giants and Washington — have more than one first-rounder. The Browns have three with Deshaun Watson expected to miss the entire season because of an Achilles injury.
Interestingly, the round with the second-most quarterbacks is the sixth with 13. The second, third, fourth and fifth rounds each have nine players and the seventh has seven. The remaining 31 quarterbacks entered the league as undrafted free agents.
There were also 30 quarterbacks this offseason who found new teams after ending the 2024 season on an active roster or injured reserve. Five moved in trades and 15 of the other 25 signed one-year contracts. Nine signed two-year deals with one (Seattle’s Sam Darnold) under contract for three years.
Six are expected to be starters including Daniel Jones, who is competing with Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis, and whoever wins the Cleveland competition between Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. The others are Aaron Rodgers (Pittsburgh), Geno Smith (Las Vegas), Darnold and Justin Fields (N.Y. Jets).
Several other players were on practice squads at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
There are eight teams that currently have three quarterbacks, and the other teams have four, except for the Browns, which have five, including Watson. The fourth quarterbacks on 18 teams were undrafted, with nine of them rookies.
The eight teams currently with three are Arizona, Baltimore, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, New England and Seattle. The Rams have four, which includes Dresser Winn whose reported signing is not yet official.
Below is a team-by-team list of current rostered NFL quarterbacks. But before that, let’s take a look at the dozen former first-round quarterbacks with a new team this season, and a couple still without a team (former first-rounders in yellow, those drafted more than a decade ago in orange). In the last column, the chart shows how many teams a first-rounder has been with over how many years.
NFL’s 2025 QBs listed team by team
Players in bold are with new teams in 2025. The figure in parentheses indicates how each player entered the NFL.
ARIZONA: Kyler Murray (D1), Jacoby Brissett (D3), Clayton Tune (D5)
ATLANTA: Michael Penix Jr. (D1), Kirk Cousins (D4), Easton Stick (D5), Emory Jones (UDFA)
BALTIMORE: Lamar Jackson (D1), Cooper Rush (UDFA), Devin Leary (D6)
BUFFALO: Josh Allen (D1), Mitchell Trubisky (D1), Mike White (D5), Shane Buechele (UDFA)
CAROLINA: Bryce Young (D1), Andy Dalton (D2), Jack Plummer (UDFA), Ethan Garbers (UDFA 2025)
CHICAGO: Caleb Williams (D1), Case Keenum (UDFA), Tyson Bagent (UDFA), Austin Reed (UDFA)
CINCINNATI: Joe Burrow (D1), Jake Browning (UDFA), Logan Woodside (D7), Payton Thorne (UDFA 2025)
CLEVELAND: Joe Flacco (D1), Kenny Pickett (D1), Shedeur Sanders (D5 2025), Dillon Gabriel (D3 2025), Deshaun Watson (D1)
DALLAS: Dak Prescott (D4), Joe Milton III (D6), Will Grier (D3)
DENVER: Bo Nix (D1), Jarrett Stidham (D4), Sam Ehlinger (D6)
DETROIT: Jared Goff (D1), Kyle Allen (UDFA), Hendon Hooker (D3)
GREEN BAY: Jordan Love (D1), Malik Willis (D3), Sean Clifford (D5), Taylor Elgersman (UDFA 2025)
HOUSTON: C.J. Stroud (D1), Davis Mills (D3), Graham Mertz (D6 2025), Kedon Slovis (UDFA)
INDIANAPOLIS: Anthony Richardson Sr. (D1), Daniel Jones (D1), Riley Leonard (D6 2025)
JACKSONVILLE: Trevor Lawrence (D1), Nick Mullens (UDFA), John Wolford (UDFA), Seth Henigan (UDFA 2025)
KANSAS CITY: Patrick Mahomes (D1), Gardner Minshew II (D6), Bailey Zappe (D4), Chris Oladokun (D7)
LAS VEGAS: Geno Smith (D2), Aidan O’Connell (D4), Carter Bradley (UDFA), Cam Miller (D6 2025)
L.A. CHARGERS: Justin Herbert (D1), Taylor Heinicke (UDFA), Trey Lance (D1), D.J. Uiagalelie (UDFA 2025)
L.A. RAMS: Matthew Stafford (D1), Jimmy Garoppolo (D2), Stetson Bennett (D4), Dresser Winn (UDFA)
MIAMI: Tua Tagovailoa (D1), Zach Wilson (D1), Quinn Ewers (D7 2025), Brett Gabbert (UDFA 2025)
MINNESOTA: J.J. McCarthy (D1), Sam Howell (D5), Brett Rypien (UDFA), Max Brosmer (UDFA 2025)
NEW ENGLAND: Drake Maye (D1), Joshua Dobbs (D4), Ben Wooldridge (UDFA 2025)
NEW ORLEANS: Tyler Shough (D2 2025), Spencer Rattler (D5), Jake Haener (D4), Hunter Dekkers (UDFA 2025)
N.Y. GIANTS: Russell Wilson (D3), Jameis Winston (D1), Jaxson Dart (D1 2025), Tommy DeVito (UDFA)
N.Y. JETS: Justin Fields (D1), Tyrod Taylor (D6), Brady Cook (UDFA 2025), Adrian Martinez (UDFA)
PHILADELPHIA: Jalen Hurts (D2), Tanner McKee (D6), Dorian Thompson-Robinson (D5), Kyle McCord (D6 2025)
PITTSBURGH: Aaron Rodgers (D1), Mason Rudolph (D3), Will Howard (D6 2025), Skylar Thompson (D7)
SAN FRANCISCO: Brock Purdy (D7), Mac Jones (D1), Kurtis Rourke (D7 2025), Tanner Mordecai (UDFA)
SEATTLE: Sam Darnold (D1), Drew Lock (D2), Jalen Milroe (D3 2025)
TAMPA BAY: Baker Mayfield (D1), Kyle Trask (D2), Michael Pratt (D7), Connor Bazelak (UDFA 2025)
TENNESSEE: Cam Ward (D1 2025), Will Levis (D2), Brandon Allen (D6), Tim Boyle (UDFA)
WASHINGTON: Jayden Daniels (D1), Marcus Mariota (D1), Josh Johnson (D5), Sam Hartman (UDFA)
Howard Balzer is beginning his 50th year covering pro football and is in his 21st year as a Pro Football Hall of Fame selector. Although he keeps close track of personnel moves, it would take him a while to figure out how many quarterbacks have played in the NFL since he started.
Fascinating info!