We spend a lot of time talking about the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
The top five, top 10 passers in the game. How starters around the league stack up from season to season. But what about how all these QBs rank in specific areas? Who really excels in one aspect of play and stands above the rest in that category?
For a second straight year, I ranked the best of the best in seven different skills: arm strength, ball placement, mechanics, decision-making, pocket presence, rushing ability and second-reaction creativity. These top-10 lists are based on current performance and expectations for the 2025 season: how I would rank the QB group at this moment. I included only starters and leaned on what I see on tape to form the rankings.
Let’s start with the most powerful arms, but you can jump to any of the other categories below.
Jump to a section:
Arm strength | Ball placement | Mechanics
Decision-making | Pocket presence
Rushing ability | Second reaction
Arm strength
1. Josh Allen, Bills
2. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
3. Justin Herbert, Chargers
4. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
5. Matthew Stafford, Rams
6. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
7. Joe Burrow, Bengals
8. Caleb Williams, Bears
9. Michael Penix Jr., Falcons
10. Jordan Love, Packers
For me, arm strength is less about airing out the 60-yard pass (though it’s of course part of the equation) and more about driving the football on a rope when it’s necessary. I’m talking about tight windows, 15 to 20 yards downfield. You need a strong arm to get the ball there on time with these passes; floating one in isn’t an option. Think third-and-12 dropbacks with defenders blanketing the receiver, and the coverage starting to close in. Not every QB has the zip in his arm to paste the ball where it needs to be in a hurry.
The best in the game at this is Allen, but the top four on my list — including Mahomes, Herbert and Jackson — are collectively in a league of their own. Allen connected on 15 tight-window throws 10 or more yards downfield last season, tied for the third most in the NFL. Nine of those were at least 20 yards downfield, the most in the league. He can step on one with authority.
Another component of being a fastball thrower is having the ability to rely solely on the arm. By that, I mean throwing darts from what I call “funny body positions” — off-platform and contorted bases. These are all-or-nothing throws without the benefit of loading up. The top four on the list all do this effortlessly, but you’ll see plays like that on film from Williams and Love, too.
Burrow’s arm talent might be overshadowed by his accuracy and pocket presence (more on that in a moment), but he deserves credit in this category, too. He can whip it into the strike zone. Stafford still hits the sideline throws late in his career, and Mayfield can rocket the ball to a receiver perfectly in stride. I included Penix, too, despite just three pro starts to his name; he has a proven arm. He led the FBS with 24 completions of at least 30 air yards in 2023 and then averaged 10.1 air yards per attempt last season with Atlanta, which would have ranked second in the NFL had it qualified.
As for the names not mentioned … the obvious exclusion is Anthony Richardson Sr. The third-year Colts quarterback can throttle the ball to every level, but I cut him simply because he hasn’t proved he can stick on the field and might not even win the starter’s gig. Similarly, Tennessee’s Will Levis and Dallas’ Joe Milton III are relegated to backup roles. Washington’s Jayden Daniels does deserve recognition, but it’s really tough to fit every big arm on a top-10 list — and he will be on plenty of them for other traits here.
Ball placement
1. Joe Burrow, Bengals
2. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
4. Josh Allen, Bills
5. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
6. Matthew Stafford, Rams
7. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
8. Brock Purdy, 49ers
9. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
10. Geno Smith, Raiders
Accuracy and ball placement aren’t the same thing, and when I’m talking about the most important traits in a QB, ball location carries more weight. Can you precisely place the ball no matter the situation? Do you routinely get the completion even when you shouldn’t? Does the ball go to a spot that allows for extra yardage after the catch? Accurate QBs put the football where the receiver can make a play, but those with high-end ball placement make sure the receiver is the only one who can make a play.
It takes conviction from the signal-caller. I think about that scene in “Ted Lasso” when Ted hits three perfect shots on the dart board. I see that kind of confidence in locating the ball in the 10 quarterbacks listed above. They display the trajectory, touch, anticipation, field vision and the confidence of knowing exactly where the pass is going.
Last year, I put Burrow No. 1 on this list. He’s back in the top spot. In 2024, he had the NFL’s lowest off-target rate (11.0%), fourth-highest completion percentage (70.6%) and second-highest completion rate over expectation (4.9%, per NFL Next Gen Stats). Burrow is the gold standard in this department, and nothing has changed.
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Interestingly, No. 2 on my list hadn’t even thrown his first NFL pass until last season. Daniels’ ball location is already that impressive, with a 69.0% completion rate as a rookie. He throws away from defenders so well, and I see a real feel for knowing the moment that his receiver is open. It allows him to beat even the most perfect of coverages.
Jackson and Allen probably took the biggest leaps in this area last season, and both are firmly in the top five. I could have gone in a lot of directions with the rest of this list, though. Twenty-one quarterbacks completed at least 65% of their passes last season. Tagovailoa nailed down a spot in the top 10 after leading the league in that area (72.9%). Purdy’s completion rate dipped from 68.7% to 65.9% from 2023 to 2024, but he had to be here because of his ability to lay the ball into the strike zone. Smith made it because he has so many perfect throws on tape; he was second to Burrow in off-target rate (11.2%).
But that meant some really accurate passers were left out. Houston’s C.J. Stroud? Detroit’s Jared Goff? It was tough to exclude them, and I reasonably could see either being decently high on the list.
Mechanics
1. Joe Burrow, Bengals
2. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
3. Matthew Stafford, Rams
4. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
5. Josh Allen, Bills
6. C.J. Stroud, Texans
7. Geno Smith, Raiders
8. Dak Prescott, Cowboys
9. Jared Goff, Lions
10. Justin Herbert, Chargers
When it comes to mechanics, I’m looking for a smooth and repeatable throwing motion that doesn’t change even under pressure. The technically sound quarterbacks always operate from a strong base, and that allows them to stay in rhythm and deliver the ball through the same process — start to finish — even when the pocket isn’t clean.
Burrow is the epitome of that. You almost can’t tell what kind of throw he’s making because they all look the same until the release point. It’s amazing consistency, and he’s still the best in the NFL in this area.
Stroud’s mechanics really pop on passes over the middle. Herbert is basically a robot when it comes to throwing motion. And though Prescott played in only eight games last season, good mechanics are still the backbone of who he is as a passer.
I wanted to get Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts on the list but ran out of room. He is terrific in this department, and you see it most on the “got to have it” throws — especially downfield. I spent a lot of time trying to insert Hurts into my top 10, but who would have dropped out?
Decision-making with the football
1. Joe Burrow, Bengals
2. Josh Allen, Bills
3. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
4. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
5. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
6. Matthew Stafford, Rams
7. Justin Herbert, Chargers
8. Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins
9. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
10. Bo Nix, Broncos
There are two levels of sound decision-making. First, does the quarterback make the right choice at the right time when everything is going to plan? Clean pocket, open receiver … hit him for a completion rather than force a dangerous play. Simple enough, right?
Things get more interesting for the other scenario, though: Does the quarterback make the ONLY choice at the right time when everything is breaking down? There isn’t much room for mistakes when passers are forced to decide faster than they want. Can he read out the defense, figure out what the opponent is trying to bait him into doing and then make the correct call?
It’s the third straight list where I have Burrow No. 1, but Allen and Jackson are on his tail. Allen’s decision-making improved last season more than any other NFL quarterback improved in any trait. And Jackson led the league in wide-open target percentage, with 34.4% of his throws targeting receivers with 5 or more yards of separation, per NFL Next Gen Stats. See the open man, throw to the open man. Burrow (1.4%), Allen (1.2%) and Jackson (0.8%) all ranked in the top five in interception rate last season, too.
However, the quarterback with the NFL’s lowest interception rate at 0.6% and fewest overall picks (three) was Herbert. He makes smart throws and keeps the ball away from trouble. Daniels’ great decision-making helped cover up other rookie learning curves. Tagovailoa has to decide faster than anyone else because of Miami’s lackluster offensive line (average of 2.42 seconds before throw, shortest in the league). Hurts’ decision-making shows up a lot in his rushing; he knows when to tuck and run and when to find someone coming open for a pass. Stafford, meanwhile, does a great job forcing defenses to do what he wants with his eyes, creating higher-percentage plays.
And how about Nix? Broncos coach Sean Payton simplified a lot of the offense for the rookie, but look closer and you’ll see that he was still asked to make a lot of tough calls. There is plenty of high-end decision-making on the tape. He found opportunities to pick up chunks of yards through screens, but he located and executed some deep balls. Keep an eye on him in this area in Year 2.
The biggest snub is easy: Brock Purdy. He was fifth on the list last year. I’d have no problem with him being on anyone’s top 10. I also considered Baker Mayfield because he’s still improving in decision-making as he enters his eighth season, but it’s hard to ignore his 16 interceptions last season.
Pocket presence
1. Joe Burrow, Bengals
2. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
3. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
4. C.J. Stroud, Texans
5. Brock Purdy, 49ers
6. Josh Allen, Bills
7. Geno Smith, Raiders
8. Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
9. Bryce Young, Panthers
10. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
A fourth straight list led by Burrow, but who is going to argue with me? Burrow is dominant in creating operational space, even when it’s a muddy pocket. The top quarterbacks in pocket presence can consistently and calmly slide or climb to avoid pressure. They can use a 6-inch shuffle here and a 6-inch step there to buy extra time and get off a clean throw. No panic, no desperation. Burrow had the league’s fourth-best QBR from inside the pocket (71.7), throwing 35 touchdown passes. Last year, I wrote, “I don’t know that anyone is better than him in the league at working in a phone booth.” I still don’t.
Jackson is second, and he operates in the pocket in a very different — yet equally effective — way. Burrow uses subtle movements, but Jackson is more chaotic, moving all over the place to find space. Both work. Jackson edged Burrow in QBR inside the pocket at 74.9.
Mahomes’ pocket presence is seemingly on display every snap. He never panics, keeping his eyes downfield as he steps aside from pressure. Purdy is so underrated in this trait, and Smith puts out great tape every Sunday.
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Young has had plenty of ups and downs over two pro seasons, but I still love how he works through pressure and progressions in the pocket. His movements around the pocket and ability to navigate opponent pass rushes were big reasons that he finished 2024 on an upswing.
Dak Prescott and Justin Herbert were left off the top 10, but that’s no knock on their abilities. They do a really nice job relying on their great mechanics to make things happen in the pocket.
Rushing ability
1. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
2. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
3. Josh Allen, Bills
4. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
5. Justin Fields, Jets
6. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
7. Kyler Murray, Cardinals
8. Justin Herbert, Chargers
9. Brock Purdy, 49ers
10. Caleb Williams, Bears
Rushing ability is a massive part of the modern NFL quarterback. The best in the game excel here. It can sometimes mean designated carries. And it can sometimes mean scrambles, when it falls on the QB to capitalize on an open seam or turn a busted play into a positive.
The top runners at the position show speed, instincts, physicality and elusiveness, and they routinely get at least four to six carries called for them per game. I still have Jackson at the top of the list because he is fantastic on called runs and scrambles. Last season, he led quarterbacks in rushing yards (915) and runs for 10 or more yards (37). More than a fourth of his 139 carries went for at least 10 yards.
Hurts ran for 630 yards and 14 scores, and Allen totaled 531 yards and 12 TDs. I considered putting Daniels on this list last year before he made his NFL debut, and he’s now locked into the top five. His 891 rushing yards ranked second among QBs last season. Murray — who had 572 rushing yards last season — would be higher on the list if not for the really impressive ball carriers ahead of him.
Mahomes is still the best scrambler in the NFL, but I wanted to call out Purdy, Williams and Herbert, too. Defenses can play these guys perfectly, and it doesn’t matter because of what they can do with their legs.
The two Colts quarterbacks — Anthony Richardson Sr. and Daniel Jones — could each make a strong case to be on here. Richardson can’t stay healthy, and I’m not sure who will win Indy’s starting job.
Second-reaction ability
1. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
2. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs
3. Josh Allen, Bills
4. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
5. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
6. Kyler Murray, Cardinals
7. Joe Burrow, Bengals
8. Caleb Williams, Bears
9. Drake Maye, Patriots
10. Bo Nix, Broncos
The ball is snapped, everything breaks down and the defense “wins” the play. What happens next? Can the QB still make something happen, even with the called play dead in the water? These are the best of the best in off-schedule and off-platform throws, which often demand nonstandard arm angles on the move. It’s where a quarterback’s creativity can really shine.
Jackson and Mahomes are elite on second-reaction plays. They remain passers first when it breaks down, dancing for space in the backfield and looking for open targets, but they can also run to threaten the defense at any moment. Jackson’s QBR outside the pocket was a league-best 92.7 last season, while Mahomes was sixth at 75.8. Jackson threw 11 touchdown passes with zero interceptions when forced outside the pocket.
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Four sophomore quarterbacks made my list, which might say something bigger about this new generation. Daniels and Williams have been great here since college. It wasn’t the best debut season for Williams, but creating on second-reaction plays is still his best trait. If he grows other parts of his game to match his ability here, watch out. Nix surprised a lot of people with his effectiveness in this category in 2024, and I’m watching for Maye to show what he can do here in 2025. The Patriots would be smart to let Maye loose on these types of plays, especially because they improved his supporting cast. Having better playmakers means it’s more likely someone gets open late in the down.
Baker Mayfield could have made the list. I thought about Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence. Maybe Justin Herbert. Even Tennessee rookie Cameron Ward — the No. 1 pick this April — merited some consideration. The deep pool of playmakers at QB makes putting this list together very difficult — but it also makes watching football very fun on Sundays in the fall.
