8 Potential Risers for the 2026 QB Class

This article explores eight under-the-radar quarterbacks poised to make a leap in the 2025 NFL Draft, highlighting their potential to break out and become first-round picks.

In 2020, a BYU quarterback made a splash on the scene and ended up being the second pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. His name was Zach Wilson. That same year, a Pitt Panther quarterback found lightning in a bottle, amassing 42 touchdowns, finishing third in the Heisman voting, and parlaying that into being a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. His name was Kenny Pickett.

In 2022, an unknown quarterback at the University of Florida displayed immense raw traits and skills, wowed at the NFL Combine, and was selected fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. His name was Anthony Richardson. A middling fifth-year quarterback pieced everything together at LSU during the 2023 season, delivering a historic campaign that culminated in a Heisman Trophy win. That quarterback, Jayden Daniels, took the NFL dynasty world by storm.

Each year, there’s a quarterback who, 12 months earlier, no one would have predicted could make the leap into superstardom. This year, we have Cam Ward. Once projected by many as a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Ward decided to return to school and is now projected as a potential top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

In this article, I’ll detail some quarterbacks who might not be on your radar as first-round-caliber players but could piece everything together and become hot names to know.

Sam Leavitt – Arizona State

Leavitt was a top-20 quarterback for me heading into the 2024 season. He has excellent arm talent, poise, and, most importantly, the ability to elevate the players around him. Leavitt is a winner with the intangibles you look for in a starting NFL quarterback.

He excels at recognizing when to take what the defense gives him and when to go for the jugular. Leavitt has all the makings of a first-round draft pick in next year’s NFL Draft.

The NFL values two key statistics: turnover-worthy plays and pressure-to-sack ratio. These metrics reflect quick processing and mistake-limiting abilities. In 350 passing attempts, Leavitt had just 1.1% turnover-worthy plays and a 13.3% pressure-to-sack ratio. Those are quality numbers. If he can lower that pressure-to-sack ratio to around 10% in his second full season as a starter in 2025, he’ll be a quarterback the NFL gravitates toward.

Kaidon Salter – Colorado

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