NFL Draft

NFL Rookie QB Mentors: The Best Veteran Pairings for Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, and More

by Gene Clemons

14 hours ago

At the 2025 NFL Combine, scouts had differing opinions about who should be the first quarterback taken — as well as where these quarterbacks should land and how many of them have the potential to start.

While you hope to get an answer to these questions in Indy, that rarely happens. Most of the top picks wait until their pro days to throw and go through testing. But we did get a chance to learn a little bit more about their Tyler Shough at the Combine's media day. There's a lot of maturity in this year's batch of college quarterbacks, but the transition from college to the NFL can be tough. Not all who enter are immediately ready to take the reins of an offense, so it would be in a team's best interest to grab a veteran who can be a bridge quarterback, mentor, and a guy who has a game that is similar to your rookie.

Let’s take a look at some great pairings.

Cam Ward/Jameis Winston

Ward probably has the best natural arm in the draft class. His release is smooth and the ball jumps out of his hand. Yes, he’s athletic, but that is not what he hangs his hat on. He has developed into one of the best throwers of the football in college. He's going to open up the third level wherever he goes because he has supreme confidence in his arm to push the ball downfield and if he makes a mistake or things do not work out well, he can put it past him, reset, and continue to be aggressive.

Ward needs a guy who knows the pressure of being a top pick. Someone who carries a similar swagger and is always unapologetically him — that’s Jameis Winston. Winston is still a good enough talent to start in this league, which makes him the perfect bridge if Ward is not ready to assume the starting position immediately. He is also going to gracefully accept when it is time to turn the reins over to Ward. Winston can be a valuable mentor on how to avoid some of the pitfalls that likely ruined his ability to be a sustained starter in this league; but, most importantly, he can show Ward how to get other pros to follow his lead. Say what you want about Winston but everybody loves him in the locker room and they all play extremely hard for him. Observing how he moves and interacts with the other players would be extremely valuable information to absorb.

Shedeur Sanders/Tyrod Taylor

For a guy who people claim does not have a strong arm Sanders has never been afraid to cut the ball loose downfield. He uses timing and anticipation to get the ball to receivers on the go. He is more athletic than people give him credit for but when he moves, he is normally trying to create more time for his receivers to get open. His football IQ is unquestioned and he has a level of self confidence that permeates any room that he is in. One of the most underrated aspects of his game is his toughness and his ability to endure.

Tyrod Taylor is the perfect vet to pair with Sanders. Taylor has always carried himself with a level of regality not often seen from a guy who would, fairly, be labeled a “journeyman” in the NFL. Taylor never lowers himself or undersells his worth to the team. He is the best backup quarterback in the NFL and could likely start for a few teams if all things were equal. He and Sanders play the same type of game, so if Sanders is not ready to assume the role immediately, he can look at Taylor and see his formula for winning. One of the things Sanders can learn from Taylor is how to know when to go. Early in his career Taylor would hold the ball a little too long — but now as a veteran, he knows when it is time to live to fight another day. He will tuck it, run, and get down to avoid taking hits because it is ok to be tough but you do not need to prove it every play.

Jalen Milroe/Joshua Dobbs

Milroe is a talented quarterback with a live arm but he still has a lot of refining to do. He has special athleticism that he displayed in college but he also showed the ability to be a highly effective passer. The trouble is in the inconsistency. He is inconsistent when he wants to use his athleticism, he is inconsistent with his accuracy and throwing mechanics, and he is inconsistent with his reads. Those inconsistencies showed themselves at the Combine. When he is locked in, he looks like a franchise player…but when he is not, he looks lost. You have highs like his 491-total yard, four total touchdown game against Georgia where he looked like the Heisman trophy frontrunner. You have lows like his 171-total yard three interception game against Oklahoma.

Nobody knows career ups and downs like Joshua Dobbs. His senior season at Tennessee felt like a rollercoaster and led to him being a fourth round pick in the draft. What many thought would be a flash in the pan career has become one marked with staying power as a quality backup. Dobbs could be a great bridge QB as Milroe refines his skills. Dobbs would definitely help Milroe balance out the mental side of the game, especially dissecting the playbook. Dobbs started four games or more for two different teams during 2023. He suited up and started for Minnesota less than a week after joining them from Arizona, where he started the first eight games of the season. He can show Milroe how to roll with the highs and lows of the position, help him become more decisive in his decision making — especially when to run — and understanding that he does not need to be ashamed of his athleticism, he should always have it ready… like the fully loaded shotgun that used to lay underneath my grandmother’s bed.

Jaxson Dart/Marcus Mariota

Jaxson Dart had himself a great day throwing at the combine… but that was not surprising. He has always been able to throw the ball. In his three years under Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss he continually improved and became one of the best quarterbacks in the country. In addition to a live arm, he also has athletic ability as a runner. There has always been something about the critical times, however, that have caught Dart by surprise. While he has improved in that regard, he is still a work in progress. He must learn how to stay cool under pressure and embrace the moment. He also needs to know when to give up on the play. Sometimes he can get himself into trouble trying to do it all. In the NFL a quarterback learns how to trust his weapons and get them the ball at critical moments.

Mariota has felt the pressure. He has succumbed to it and he has risen above it. There’s no better mentor for Dart to have. Mariota was an absolute stud in college but he rarely faced adversity in that high-flying Chip Kelly offense. Once he came to the league, though, he discovered what pressure was all about. It was not only internal pressure but pressure from the outside football world… and from outside linebackers. He dealt with injuries and inconsistencies that can derail any quarterback’s dream. He can help Dart navigate some of the rough waters that are bound to come – it is only a matter of time. Mariota is also still good enough to give you some level play in the short term before turning it over to Dart.

Tyler Shough/Joe Falcco

Shough is a tall, lean, prototypical pocket passer with a long journey to the NFL. He has seven seasons in college football and in his final season was his breakout. He has a live arm and decent field vision to manipulate defenders in the secondary. He plays with a lot of confidence and he is really accurate when he is protected. He can get a little jumpy when pressure gets around him. He can make all the throws, but can he make them consistently? After all, he does not have the same type of development time as other quarterbacks because of his age.

This is why Joe Flacco is such a perfect fit to team up with Shough. Flacco has proven that he can fill in as a starter for a few weeks while the eventual starter gets his footing in the league. Flacco has never been afraid to turn the ball loose downfield and he knows what it is like to stand in the pocket with the bullets flying around and get the job done. Flacco can help Shough be more consistent with his throwing motion, which can increase his accuracy and help him become the best version of himself. Flacco just recently turned 40 so mentorship is a role he might embrace. Especially with someone who would not be a traditional rookie.

Gene Clemons