Entering the 2025 NFL season, Lamar Jackson is the best quarterback in the NFL. Some will argue against that standing, but even his harshest critics can’t place the Baltimore Ravens quarterback any lower than the fourth-best quarterback in the league. The reason why is that he does everything well; Jackson excels in every department of quarterback play.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky made this point in a recent piece where he ranked the top 10 quarterbacks in seven different categories. Judging all the signal callers in the league, Orlovsky ranked the best in terms of, arm strength, ball placement, mechanics, decision-making, pocket presence, rushing ability, and second reaction.
Jackson was in the top four of every category, topping two of the sections. Here’s his rank in all seven categories.
Arm strength: 4
Ball placement: 3
Mechanics: 4
Decision-making: 3
Pocket presence: 2
Rushing ability: 1
Second reaction: 1
Lamar Jackson’s skillset is praised in recent ESPN quarterback trait rankings
Obviously Jackson would be at the top for rushing ability, no one else in the league even comes close. That’s also been his calling card since he entered the league. However, it’s other categories where he’s shown the most growth, and where his critics thought he’d never be successful. Jackson’s elite ability in categories like ball placement, mechanics, and pocket presence, in addition to his special running ability, makes him the best quarterback in the NFL.
While it’s great Jackson has that standing, his only focus is using those skills to lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl. With Jackson under center, Baltimore always has the chance, but the franchise has an elite roster as well. After being stuck on the doorstep for the majority of Jackson’s career, the Ravens are hoping this is finally the season everything comes together.