CLEVELAND, Ohio — There are a number of ways to do quarterback rankings.
Usually, it’s based off the eye test, or how many team wins their play led to.
Once again, we’ll do things a little differently this time around.
We are going to rank the top 32 NFL starting quarterbacks based on their accuracy on deep passes.
It’s such an integral part of NFL offenses. If you want to move the offense closer to the endzone in a blink, the deep pass will do that for you.
We’ll rank quarterbacks using data from Pro Football Focus, which shows the deep-ball attempts, completions, and completion percentage. But we’ll rank them primarily off their completion percentage.
To qualify, a quarterback must have started at least half of his team’s games. But certain cases come with leniency.
Jacoby Brissett, for example, has only started four games at the time of this post. But will make his fifth start on Sunday with Arizona, and as seen below, is highly-ranked.
As a sidenote: the Jets and Patriots did play Thursday night, so the completion percentages of their quarterbacks below do include that game. But the rankings didn’t change at all, respectively.
QB rankings by deep-pass completion %
Ranking Quarterback Deep-pass completion %
32. Trevor Lawrence 22.9% (8/35)
31. Mac Jones 25.0% (5/20)
30. Dillon Gabriel 25.0% (2/8)
29. Michael Penix Jr. 28.0% (7/25)
28. Justin Fields 29.4% (5/17)
27. Bo Nix 31.9% (15/47)
26. Geno Smith 32.1% (9/28)
25. Spencer Rattler 34.4% (11/32)
24. Caleb Williams 34.9% (15/43)
23. Jaxson Dart 35.3% (12/34)
22. Bryce Young 36.4% (8/22)
21. C.J. Stroud 36.7% (11/30)
20. Cam Ward 37.9% (11/29)
19. Aaron Rodgers 37.9% (11/29)
18. Justin Herbert 38.1% (16/42)
17. Patrick Mahomes 38.1% (16/42)
16. Baker Mayfield 38.1% (16/42)
15. Carson Wentz 38.1% (8/21)
14. Joe Flacco 38.2% (13/34)
13. Jared Goff 38.9% (7/18)
12. Tua Tagovailoa 39.3% (11/28)
11. Jordan Love 41.7% (15/36)
10. Josh Allen 42.9% (15/35)
9. Dak Prescott 43.6% (17/39)
8. Daniel Jones 44.1% (15/34)
7. Jalen Hurts 46.2% (18/39)
6. Matthew Stafford 46.8% (22/47)
5. Lamar Jackson 47.1% (8/17)
4. Jayden Daniels 47.4% (9/19)
3. Jacoby Brissett 50.0% (9/18)
2. Drake Maye 55.0% (22/40)
1. Sam Darnold 72.4% (21/29)
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.AP
Trevor Lawrence
Jacksonville started the season on a hot note, and are still in contention to grab a playoff spot.
However, they’ve lost three of their recent four games, and part of these losses relates to quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s lack of efficiency on deep passes.
Lawrence holds the worst deep-ball completion percentage (22.9%) of all qualifying quarterbacks, per Pro Football Focus.
In the seasons following up to this year, his deep-ball efficiency was rising.
A rookie Lawrence in 2021 recorded a 30.6% completion percentage when throwing deep, but rose as high as 45.3% in 2023.
A better sense of cohesion between he and his pass catchers when going deep, could help this offense when it matters most.
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.AP
Bo Nix
Becoming one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, Nix has excelled.
Denver has currently won seven straight, thanks to Nix’s play and resilience in close games. He ranks 14th in passing yards (2,126), and ties for fifth in passing touchdowns (18).
Nix also ***ranks 27th in deep-pass completion percentage (31.9%),***per PFF. He ties for ninth in deep-pass completions (15), but since it’s out of 47 attempts, that is what lowers his completion percentage.
A lack of accuracy on throwing it deep isn’t the worst thing. Sometimes those opportunities help spread the field for more opportunities inside.
Interestingly, while he struggles with deep-ball efficiency, Nix also holds the fourth-fewest completed air yards (4.5), per Next Gen Stats.
This implies Nix has found that sweet spot in the middle with his approach to the game. Even six of his 18 touchdowns were on deep throws that traveled 20 or more yards, and that ties for the fourth-most among quarterbacks.
They say ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. But a few more deep-ball completions would benefit Denver in the end.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.AP
Lamar Jackson
Jackson currentlyranks fifth in deep-ball completion percentage (47.1%), per PFF.
That is fascinating, and here’s why.
His efficiency when throwing deep has been an area of critique in recent years, because some outside voices felt he couldn’t throw it far, or would rather scramble.
There’s only one other season on record of throwing 40.0% or higher on deep-shots. That was during his first MVP season in 2019, when he tied for 17th in that category (40.0%), per PFF.
Injuries plagued Baltimore in the first half of the season. But as they try to dig themselves out of the hole, Jackson’s deep-ball efficiency will be a factor in their finishing result.
Jets Patriots Football
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.AP
Drake Maye
There’s been so much good to say about Maye.
The second-year quarterback has been on a tear, currently ranking first in passing yards (2,836), and second in completion percentage (71.9).
That’s overlapped in his accuracy, ranking second in completion percentage (55.0%), per PFF.
His 22 completions in this area tie him with the Rams’ Matthew Stafford for most among qualifying quarterbacks. Eight of his 20 passing touchdowns this season traveled 20 or more yards downfield, which is the second-most among quarterbacks.
Maye just knows how to place the ball where his pass catchers need it, from any range on the field.
And that is a big reason why the Patriots have won eight straight games.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Seattle.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) passes during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Seattle.(AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
Sam Darnold
Here we are. You totally expected Darnold to rank No. 1, right?
Seattle’s quarterback holds the best deep-ball completion percentage ( 72.4 ), per PFF.
Darnold isn’t one to take many shots in the offense, tying for 18th in attempts (29). But he makes the most of those attempts when taking them, ranking third in most deep-shot completions (21).
Never has Darnold been this efficient when throwing deep.
Since entering the league in 2018, the best Darnold had done in this area was 56.0% in 2022 when playing for Carolina. Though, he only started six games, and was one of four quarterbacks during a turbulent year for the Panthers.
Nevertheless, Darnold has been on fire when throwing deep. Continuing to do so will help Seattle stay on top of the NFC West division.
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