- Jared Goff
Goff takes the #1 spot on this list as no recognizes him or even considers him to be in that elite class with the Josh Allens and Patrick Mahomes’ of the world. Although I am unsure if I would put him in that class, he certainly deserves far more consideration than he gets. The top five scoring offenses in league history were led by the likes of Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and finally Jared Goff. The first four QBs on that list are considered maybe the four greatest QBs in the history of the sport, with Goff being right in their class. Although Goff is not much of an athlete, Goff is in the discussion for being the best pocket passer in league history along with the likes of Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. But no one ever recognizes Goff to be in a similar class to the likes of Manning and Brady. Part of the reason why Goff is so underrated is because of his lack of athleticism and his need for a strong offensive line to function. People often point to how poor his last season was with the Rams with a subpar offensive line to denigrate him. However, does Lamar Jackson not struggle in the playoffs? Does Joe Burrow not struggle with injuries? But yet they are still universally seen as top five QBs. Goff absolutely needs a better offensive line, but even Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow who are universally seen as elite QBs, have their flaws that may even be more glaring than Goff’s. With Goff having just as high of a ceiling as either player but no one recognizing him to be in that elite group that Burrow and Jackson are in. If the Rams led by a young Jared Goff did not have to play the likes of the dynastic Patriots with an all-time great defense in the Super Bowl and if his head coach Dan Campbell did not get overly aggressive in a Conference Championship, Goff would likely have won 2 Super Bowls as a starting QB with 2 different teams, something only Manning and Brady have done. Goff along with Peyton Manning are the only QBs in league history to have led all-time great offenses with multiple franchises as well, so it is not as if Goff is just a product of his environment as well. People forget he was a #1 overall pick for a reason, and he consistently shares career accomplishments that are right on par with the greatest QBs ever. Despite that, Goff is still viewed by many to be just a solid starting QB and nothing more which is why he is the most underrated QB in the NFL in my estimation.
- Dak Prescott
Prescott, like Goff, is not seen as an elite QB by pretty much anyone due to his lack of athletic ability and perhaps deserves more consideration to be in that class. In my estimation the number one sign of how productive a QB is would be how productive the offenses are that he commands. During the 2025 season despite being on a rookie head coach, a rookie offensive coordinator, having average to less than average offensive personnel, and having perhaps the league’s worst defense, the Cowboys had for a period arguably the premier offense in the NFL that still finished near the top of the NFL in both points and yards. This was after consistently leading an elite offense under Mike McCarthy that finished #1 in the NFL in points scored in multiple seasons as well. Prescott consistently leads elite offenses at just as good if not a better rate than any QB in the NFL, despite having multiple coaches and average to less than average offensive personnel. However, because of his ordinary physical traits, lack of a Conference Championship game appearance, along with being under more scrutiny due to playing for the Cowboys, he gets overlooked/underrated.
- Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones is one of the best dual threat QBs in the sport but does not get the credit/recognition he deserves. Jones in the one and only instance he was given high level offensive personnel and coaching to work with was leading the NFL’s top scoring offense last season with the Colts. During his time with the Giants I also felt as if he was underrated as he produced at a strong level despite having relatively poor offensive personnel around him. Jones was able to be productive one season despite having amongst the league’s worst offensive lines in front of him. I view Jones as perhaps a better version of Jalen Hurts. Where both QBs are tier 2 dual threat QBs viewed as dual threat QBs who can be the lesser version/next closest thing to the Lamar Jackson/Josh Allen level dual threat players at the position. But I would prefer Jones over Hurts as in ideal circumstances like Jones had this past season when he was healthy and like Jalen Hurts had during the Eagles’ Super Bowl winning season, both can lead offenses that are just as good if not better than any. However, Hurts in unideal circumstances often leaves much to be desired just like he did this past season without a good offensive coordinator. Whereas Jones has shown the ability to overcome, i.e. producing at a strong rate despite having poor offensive line play one season.
- Sam Darnold
The reigning Super Bowl champion finds himself on this list despite winning a Super Bowl and leading two consecutive 14-3 seasons for two different teams. Darnold led an offense that was as good as any in the sport this past season despite having good but not great personnel on offense and a young defensive minded head coach. This was after leading one of the premier offenses in the NFL the season prior with the Vikings with again good but not great offensive personnel. Darnold is often overlooked because of his failures with poor teams/franchises to start his career as he served as a backup for three different teams. Darnold’s totally ordinary physical traits are another reason he gets overlooked. Although I wouldn’t say that he is, one could make a very strong argument that Darnold is the best QB in the NFL as of now. As he won a Super Bowl title while leading one of the premier offenses in the sport despite having good but not great offensive personnel and a defensive minded head coach. While Josh Allen has never been to a Super Bowl and essentially choked this past season in the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes has led two very average caliber offenses for two seasons in a row now despite having Andy Reid and was not even in this past season’s playoffs. While the likes of Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson were also not in this past season’s playoffs and Burrow struggles to stay healthy while Jackson cannot perform well come playoff time.
- Kyler Murray
Because of his recently failed season with the Cardinals, his lack of a playoff win in his career, and his short stature, Murray has now become underrated. I still view Murray as potentially a generational type of player who is unparalleled as a talent in league history. Lamar Jackson is in my estimation the most talented QB in football history and not even Jackson has Murray’s combination of foot speed and arm strength. As not even Lamar Jackson is quite as fast on his feet as Murray is as Murray is likely the fastest QB in the history of the sport. Not even Lamar Jackson has as strong of an arm as Murray does either nor was Jackson nearly as refined of a thrower entering the NFL. Lamar Jackson is likely the most talented QB in the sport and Murray could be argued as more talented than Jackson. The fact that the Cardinals let Murray walk for nothing in his prime goes to show how underrated he is. I view Murray’s career path to be eerily similar to that of Matthew Stafford. Where both were #1 overall picks viewed as generational talents, but both were drafted by weak organizations where they underachieved. Stafford then eventually went to an elite organization in the Rams and has won both a Super Bowl and a league MVP in just five seasons after making just one pro bowl and never winning a playoff game for over a decade with the Lions. Murray made just two pro bowls in his time with Arizona and never won a playoff game either. Now that Murray is going to a strong organization in the Vikings who have a young smart offensive minded head coach and strong offensive personnel just like the Rams did with Stafford, we could see Murray come into his own and live up to his potential just like Stafford did with the Rams.
