Following the culmination of the Divisional Round of this season’s NFL playoffs, the picks for the first round of the upcoming draft were all but locked in. The Tennessee Titans will be the first on the board, closely followed by the Cleveland Browns, and then the Giants. Two of those three are thought to be on the hunt for a new franchise quarterback, but who else high up the board needs to bring in a new man under center?
Titans – Pick 1
After a disastrous 2024 season, the Titans find themselves in pole position with the No. 1 overall pick. Their recent dismal campaign saw them pick up just three wins all season, the joint lowest in the entire league. And that must prompt a change at quarterback.
Former Kentucky Wildcat Will Levis is the current man tasked with leading the Nashville outfit into the future. He arrived to much fanfare in 2023 as the 33rd overall pick. But unfortunately for him, his time in the big leagues has been a nightmare. The 25-year-old has come in for plenty of abuse from both fans and analysts and after throwing for barely 2,000 yards in 12 starts last season, it’s clear to see why.
His 2024 displays didn’t inspire much confidence, showing minimal improvement in his mechanics and decision-making. After picking up just 89 yards in a week 15 loss to the Bengals, Levis was benched in favor of perennial backup Mason Rudolph, and that seemingly ended his time at Nissan Stadium once and for all.
Online sportsbooks certainly think that is the case anyway. The latest odds for Bovada’s sportsbook currently make Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward the +120 favorite to be selected by the Titans, and it would be a shocker if they traded down or posted for a non-QB such as Travis Hunter.
Giants – Pick 3
The Giants made perhaps one of the worst decisions in NFL history when they opted to pay quarterback Daniel Jones rather than running back Saquon Barkley. Barely 18 months on from penning a four-year $160m extension, Jones was sent packing while Barkley was snapped up by the Eagles in free agency. He has gone on to become a revelation at the Link, rushing for over 2,000 yards in the 2024 season en route to claiming Offensive Player of the Year honors, as well as leading his new side to the Super Bowl.
The four-time champions would have been number one on the board had it not been for a stunning 45-33 upset victory against the Colts in the penultimate game of the season. In that particular clash, the veteran Drew Lock rolled back the years, throwing for 309 yards and four touchdowns as he ended Indy’s postseason dreams. But he is unlikely to remain under center, and with the aforementioned Ward presumed to be on his way to Tennessee, someone such as Shedur Sanders could well become the new face of one of the league’s most storied franchises.
Raiders – Pick 6
Following the Giants are the New England Patriots and the Jacksonville Jaguars, both of whom are already well set at QB with Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence respectively. Coming in at number six are the Las Vegas Raiders, and they most certainly are in dire need of a new man.
They got through no fewer than four quarterbacks last season, but each of them looked woefully out of depth. When they signed Jimmy Garoppolo in 2023, the idea was for him to be a steadying bridge while the team figured out its long-term plans. Unfortunately, though, he left after a year, and those plans seem no clearer than they did before the former San Francisco 49ers man entered the equation.
Picking at No. 6, the Sin City outfit might find themselves on the outside looking in when it comes to Ward and Sanders. However, this is a franchise desperate for a spark, and with only two of the five teams ahead of them on the hunt for a quarterback, there may be no need to trade up for a top prospect, despite the temptation. One name to watch who perhaps won’t have been drafted in the top five is Alabama star Jalen Milroe, and he may well be the man tasked with finally bringing some success to Allegiant Stadium.
Jets – Pick 7
The Jets had high hopes for their offense with veteran Aaron Rodgers leading the way, but things haven’t quite worked out to plan. Though A-Rod is still contracted through 2025, his declining physical condition and the general sense that retirement is imminent leaves his team in a precarious spot. Backup Zach Wilson, meanwhile, has shown little to suggest he’s a genuine long-term solution.
Sitting at No. 7, they could take the opportunity to begin preparing for life after Rodgers. They’re a team built to win now, with a defense that ranks among the league’s best and a talented receiving corps consisting of Devante Adams and Garrett Wilson. The problem for the Green Machine, however, is that outside of the top three quarterbacks, there is a huge gulf in quality.
This leaves the MetLife outfit at a crossroads. Should they trade up to secure either Ward or Sanders? Or will they turn to free agency, perhaps in the form of their one-time quarterback Sam Darnold? Failing that, will their four-time MVP winner have one last crack of the whip at the age of 41?
