Top 10 Quarterbacks Heading Into the Season: Wade & Ryan Break It Down
Before the NFL kicks off, Wade and Ryan sat down on the latest episode of the NFL in London Podcast to settle the age-old debate: who are the best quarterbacks in football right now? Between World Cup tangents, Buffalo curse talk, and a few surprising picks, the two went position by position to build out their top 10 quarterback rankings for the upcoming season — and while they agreed on plenty, a few choices had each of them raising an eyebrow at the other.
Where They’re Completely Aligned: The Top Two
Say it together now — both hosts landed on the exact same top two, in the exact same order. Josh Allen takes the number one spot for both Wade and Ryan, and the case is hard to argue with. Ryan calls him the victim of his own team, pointing to missed kicks, costly turnovers, and a defense that has repeatedly let him down in big moments. Despite that, Allen remains, in Ryan’s words, the most accomplished playoff quarterback never to reach a Super Bowl. Wade backs that up, praising Allen’s toughness in the red zone and his rare ability to make defenders visibly nervous before the snap. Both hosts are hoping the brand-new Highmark Stadium marks a fresh start for a franchise that’s felt cursed for years.
Right behind him sits Matthew Stafford at number two on both lists. Ryan goes as far as calling Stafford criminally underrated, crediting his chemistry with Sean McVay, his deep stable of weapons in Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and a level of late-career consistency that he believes puts Stafford in the conversation with some of the all-time greats. Wade’s take is a little more colorful — he compares Stafford to a Lamborghini parked outside a council house during his Detroit days, and praises his ability to fit the ball into tight windows even now, deep into his career.
The Middle of the Pack Gets Messy
Once you get past the top two, Wade and Ryan start splitting hairs. Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow both show up at three and four on each list, just flipped depending on who you ask. Ryan refuses to rank Mahomes below three out of respect for what he’s done in the playoffs, even coming off a down year and offseason knee surgery. Wade’s a bit more cautious, wondering aloud whether the injury slows down Mahomes’ trademark reckless scrambling. Both hosts agree Burrow has the talent to be a true top-tier guy — the hesitation is less about his arm and more about whether Cincinnati’s coaching and roster construction will ever let him prove it over a full season.
Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson also swap spots in the five-six range for both hosts. Ryan makes a passionate case for Prescott, noting how often he’s been forced to carry a Dallas team that couldn’t stop anybody on defense. Wade agrees, calling Prescott “Mr. Red Zone” and someone who shows up when the pressure’s highest. Jackson is the trickier case — both hosts acknowledge the talent and the arm strength, but they’re equally frustrated by Baltimore’s refusal to build out the receiving room around him, and by what Wade describes as a team that keeps finding new excuses instead of new solutions.
The Wildcards and Disagreements at the Bottom
This is where the rankings really diverge. Wade has reigning Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold at number ten, while Ryan slots him one spot higher at nine, pointing to back-to-back strong seasons as proof it wasn’t a fluke. Drake Mayeflips the other way — Ryan’s number ten, Wade’s number nine — with both hosts citing his poise in the pocket and a much-improved arsenal of weapons heading into year two.
Justin Herbert lands at six for Ryan, who’s calling for a true breakout year now that the offensive line and health are finally on his side, while Wade is more skeptical, slotting him at eight after years of unmet expectations. Ryan’s number eight is a surprise pick in Trevor Lawrence, betting on a leap forward behind a strong supporting cast in Jacksonville, while Wade counters with a bold call of his own — Caleb Williams at number seven, praising his ability to erase deficits and carry a struggling Chicago roster as a sophomore.
More Than Just Quarterbacks
The rankings were really just the main course in an episode packed with extras. Wade and Ryan also spent plenty of time on World Cup fever, debating early kickoff times, ripping into Fox’s not-so-subtle “hydration breaks,” and marveling at minnow nations like Cape Verde and New Zealand turning in surprisingly competitive performances. There’s even some classic Buffalo superstition sprinkled in, with Ryan only half-joking that the franchise is built on cursed ground.
If you want the full breakdown — every pick, every justification, and every bit of banter in between — you’ll want to listen to the full episode of the NFL in London Podcast. Wade and Ryan promise they’ll be back soon with more rankings, more debates, and plenty more hot takes as the season gets closer. Tune in, see how your own top 10 stacks up, and get ready for kickoff.
