The NFL has undergone a seismic shift at the quarterback position over the past three seasons, with the new generation taking charge. Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow have emerged as the elite, with Mahomes, Jackson, and Allen each claiming MVP honors in the last three years. Since Mahomes took over the Chiefs in 2018, the Bills and Ravens kicked off their eras with Allen and Lamar, the MVPs have been dominated by Mahomes (twice), Jackson (twice), Allen (once), and Aaron Rodgers (twice)-though the 41-year-old Rodgers has faded from his peak. With the 2025 season looming, ESPN’s sixth annual survey of league executives, coaches, and scouts ranks the top 10 players across 11 positions, and the real intrigue in the most important position begins after the top four signal-callers.
ESPN’s QB Rankings: Youth Rules, Mahomes Leads Again
The ranking process is straightforward: over 70 voters submitted their top 10 quarterbacks, and the results were tallied based on vote totals. This year, just 12 of the league’s 32 starters made the cut for the top 10 plus two honorable mentions-a tight field. Notably, it’s the first time Aaron Rodgers, now 41, missed the list, a sign father time is catching up. The standout? Youth dominates, with Matthew Stafford, at 37, as the only top-10 passer over 30.
Leading the pack is Patrick Mahomes, repeating as No. 1 with about 60% of first-place votes, despite a “down” year. His 2024 stats-career lows in yards (3,928), touchdowns (26), yards per game (245.5), and a career-high 36 sacks-tell part of the story, yet the Chiefs still reached their third straight Super Bowl and fifth in seven years.
Next is MVP Josh Allen, never ranked below fourth, who powered the Bills to a 13-win season with 4,300 total yards, 40 touchdowns, and six picks, despite no elite receiver. Division rivals Joe Burrow (low of fifth) and Lamar Jackson (low of sixth) round out the top four. Voters gave Mahomes the edge, because of the top four just Burrow’s 2021 AFC Championship win over him is the only lost Pat has suffered in the playoffs.
Who’s Next? Rising Stars Shake Up the Rankings
The big question is who follows this AFC quartet, and the answer starts with Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels. In just his second season, the sixth rookie since 1970 to reach a Conference Championship, Daniels earned a lowest rank of 10th, signaling his rapid rise. With an enhanced offense around him, he could mirror Mahomes and Jackson, both MVPs in their second years in the NFL.
Up next is Matthew Stafford, 37, whose veteran leadership guided the Rams to back-to-back playoff berths after early-season slumps (1-4 in 2024, 3-6 in 2023)-a first in NFL history. Justin Herbert slips to sixth, but his 21,093 career passing yards remain the most through five seasons. Jared Goff, at eight, led the Lions’ top offense with 4,629 yards and 8.6 yards per attempt.
Super Bowl champ Jalen Hurts (ninth) thrives with the league’s best roster, while Baker Mayfield (10th) has the Buccaneers humming-a move the Browns might regret. Honorable mentions go to young guns CJ Stroud and Jordan Love, hinting at a bright future. With training camps nearing, these rankings set the stage for an exciting season.
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