On Tuesday, a prominent football analytics platform unveiled its 2025 preseason quarterback rankings, with Kansas City Chiefs star, Patrick Mahomes, claiming the top position. 🏆

Here’s a summary from the platform's analyst, John Kosko:

1. PATRICK MAHOMES, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

Mahomes retains the top ranking, but the gap between him and the competition is closing. His passing grade over the last two seasons stands at 86.0, a respectable figure but somewhat lower than the exceptional levels we observed from 2018 through 2022. While his supporting cast, especially at receiver, hasn't always been ideal, it's evident that Mahomes' remarkable performance from those earlier years is becoming a distant memory. Nonetheless, few combine poise, playmaking skills, and playoff prowess as well as Mahomes does, which is why he remains at the forefront as we head into 2025, even with a tightening competition.

In the same elite category, Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals ranks second, followed by Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens at third and Josh Allen from the Buffalo Bills at fourth.

Within the AFC West, the rankings show Justin Herbert from the Los Angeles Chargers at eighth, Geno Smith of the Las Vegas Raiders at tenth, and Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos at nineteenth.

Takeaway

Despite trading Tyreek Hill prior to the 2022 season, Mahomes had an impressive year in yardage, throwing for 5,250 yards. Since then, he clocked in at 4,183 yards in 2023 and 3,928 yards in 2024, likely due to less optimal receiver talent and defensive coordinators adjusting to his gameplay. 📉

While Mahomes' production has seen influenced rankings, many analysts have placed him lower than he rightly deserves, but it appears Kosko has captured the essence of his standing well.

Although the distance between Mahomes and his peers has shrunk, if a survey were conducted among NFL decision-makers to name the top quarterback, the Texas Tech alumnus would likely still come out on top.

In 2023, receiver Rashee Rice emerged as a key player late in the season and throughout the playoffs, contributing significantly to the Chiefs’ second consecutive Super Bowl victory. Other receivers like Justin Watson and Marquez Valdes-Scantling fell short, each finishing under 500 yards.

As 2024 approached, there were projections indicating a much stronger receiving corps for Mahomes. However, injuries impacted this plan severely, with Hollywood Brown facing a preseason injury and Rice's season-ending injury occurring in Week 4. Rookie Xavier Worthy took time to acclimate but showed promise during the final weeks, yet Mahomes' performance suffered because of the setbacks. Additionally, it's essential to consider that Travis Kelce, a future Hall of Fame tight end, was also aging.

Looking ahead to 2025, this year could act as a fresh start for Mahomes and his intended receiving trio, potentially allowing him to reclaim the form we witnessed in 2022. Despite the decline in yardage, Mahomes recorded a slightly better completion percentage in both 2023 (67.2%) and 2024 (67.5%) compared to his 5,000-yard season in 2022 (67.1%). With the addition of offensive linemen like Jaylon Moore and Josh Simmons, his protection should improve.

I view 2025 as a promising year for Mahomes, likely bringing him back into the MVP conversation. Of course, this hinges on the health of Kansas City’s receiving corps. ⚡️