Sportsnaut
The 2025 NFL Draft class was not particularly well-regarded for its quarterbacks, which came to fruition with Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart being the only first-round picks. While only two were taken in Round 1, we could see a very interesting timeline for when each of the rookie quarterbacks makes their first starts this season.
Let’s dive into our NFL predictions for when each of the top rookie quarterbacks will make their first start. We’ve listed them in order of the earliest start to the latest.
The Tennessee Titans are making Cam Ward compete to be the starting quarterback, which might seem ironic for a franchise that benched Will Levis in favor of Mason Rudolph. However, the decision by head coach Brian Callahan is about providing Ward with an opportunity for an earlier win. The first overall pick is a superior talent to Levis with better decision-making and he’ll be the starter. Tennessee simply wants him to win the competition, getting an early confidence boost this summer before heading into his rookie season. Given the state of the Titans’ roster, with so few on-field victories expected this year, it’s a reasonable approach.
Also Read: 2026 NFL Draft picks by team
Once Derek Carr retired, it became pretty clear that Tyler Shough would be the New Orleans Saints‘ starting quarterback in 2025. Spencer Rattler might have the early edge entering June, especially given how Rattler performed during voluntary OTAs. However, head coach Kellen Moore hand-picked Shough as his guy during the pre-draft process and that carries significant weight. This also isn’t a typical rookie, given Shough turns 26 years old in September and appeared in 42 games during his collegiate career. We’re expecting Shough to win the competition in training camp, being named the Saints’ starting quarterback for Week 1.
Also Read: 2026 NFL mock draft
Talent evaluators might believe that Shedeur Sanders is the more talented rookie quarterback on the Cleveland Browns roster, but the only opinions that matter prefer Dillon Gabriel. It’s why the third-round pick is receiving more reps in OTAs than the fifth-round pick and why Gabriel, Cleveland’s coaching staff continues to make its preference clear. We fully expect Joe Flacco to open the season as the Browns starting quarterback, which is wise given the team’s opening schedule. We believe that after facing some of the best NFL defenses in 2025 – Baltimore Ravens (Week 2), Green Bay Packers (Week 3), Detroit Lions (Week 4), Minnesota Vikings (Week 5) and Pittsburgh Steelers (Week 6) – Flacco is benched before Week 7. It’ll allow Gabriel to make his first NFL start at home against the Miami Dolphins, followed by his first road trip to face the New England Patriots and then a Week 9 bye to settle in.
Related: Reporter reveals if Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders can win Browns starting QB gig...
