One of the most debated quarterbacks in the league is the Detroit Lions quarterback, Jared Goff. But as per the latest ESPN rankings, Goff is seemingly the best quarterback in the NFC North.

ESPN released the results of the survey conducted with NFL executives, coaches, and scouts, in which they ranked the best quarterbacks in the league. In the rankings, Goff ranked higher than any other quarterback from the NFC North, finishing ninth overall and earning praise from an NFL coordinator.

"The guy wins," said the coordinator. "He's going to find a completion if not under pressure. Mature pocket passer with a plus arm who can layer the ball at all levels."

As per the ESPN article by Jeremy Fowler, Goff appeared on nearly 60% of the ballots out of over 70 voters to earn his spot. Two major reasons for his being voted were how he had thrown for 9,193 yards over the last two years. The other reason was how he ranks fifth in NFL history for most seasons with 4,500 passing yards, only behind NFL legends Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, and Peyton Manning.

The only other quarterback from the NFC North in the rankings was Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears at ten, while the Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love narrowly missed out. However, a reason for Goff not ranking higher was his having suffered a career-high 38 sacks in the 2025 season.

Fowler also mentioned how Goff's footwork was rated very highly within the league during the survey and appreciated Goff’s toughness since joining the Lions in 2021. 

Goff's tight end, Sam LaPorta, also cracked the top 10 at his position

Goff’s star TE ranks top 5 in the latest ESPN rankings

As part of the same survey as done by ESPN, they also ranked the top tight ends in the league based on the votes. Despite missing a huge proportion of games in 2025 due to a back injury, Goff’s teammate Sam LaPorta was ranked fourth overall.

LaPorta ranked only behind the Las Vegas Raiders’ Brock Bowers, the Arizona Cardinals’ Trey McBride, and the San Francisco 49ers’ George Kittle. 

Despite appearing in just nine games and recording a career-low 40 catches and 489 yards for three touchdowns, one NFL scout could not praise his play enough.

“He’s got great hands – he’ll make a lot of circus, contested catches, especially in the red zone,” said the scout. “His blocking is high-level. Just an all-round problem.”

However, despite his injury troubles last season, LaPorta has been one of the best tight ends in the league. He averages 2.25 yards after first contact per reception, higher than anybody on the top 10 list. Meanwhile, his 6.9 yards after the catch is the highest among all tight ends.

It will be interesting to see how good LaPorta will be next season, considering he is returning from a back injury. However, if he returns to full fitness, with the help of a new offensive coordinator and a better offensive line, we could see him add another appearance at the Pro Bowl to his resume.

Where would you rank LaPorta, and what are your expectations for him next season? Let us know in the comments! 

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Written by

Dhruv Vishnu Nair

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi