The 9 Best Quarterback Training Targets

A sensible first net for most families, the GoSports 6x6 Throwing Net gives a passer three numbered pockets set where a receiver's hands would be. The bow-shaped steel frame folds flat between sessions, and ground stakes pin it to grass or dirt. It fits a small yard and suits young arms, from flag football through middle school. There's no carry bag, so it lives in its box, and with only two stakes it can shift in a stiff wind.

Five pockets give the Zelus 7x7 Throwing Net more windows to aim at, including a pair down low for passes that keep the ball away from a defender. The ground stakes come attached, the net fastens with hook-and-loop straps, and the whole kit packs into a carry bag. Its frame mixes fiberglass and coated steel, so it flexes more than an all-steel one, and hard throws can bounce back a little.

The Sklz Quickster QB Trainer is built around setup speed: the maker says it can go up in as little as 90 seconds thanks to a tension frame and clip-on net. Steel tubing and reinforced corner joints are built for seasons of hard throws, and yellow rings mark targets in the spots where receivers catch the ball. It's a heavy load to haul to the field, though, and it offers only three targets.

Tall and narrow, the GoSports 8x4 Target Net is shaped more like a receiver than a square backstop, with pockets stacked down the middle at shoulder, chest and waist height. That makes it good for drilling throws to a body rather than into open space, and it comes in red or black. The steel frame folds, and a pair of stakes holds it down. Its slim outline means wild throws sail past, so expect more ball-chasing.

Kickers and passers can share the Franklin NFL Kick + Pass, a tall net whose big passing targets come off to leave a kicking net for punts and field goals. It carries NFL logos, uses netting treated to resist sun damage on steel and fiberglass poles, and comes with four stakes and a storage bag. The targets are generous, which makes it friendlier to young arms than to a high school starter chasing tight windows.

Pockets in large, medium and small sizes set the Zonlolo 7x7 Throwing Net apart, so a passer can move to tighter windows as accuracy improves. The small one sits dead center and is a real test from range. Ground stakes and a carry bag are included, and Zonlolo promises two years of warranty cover. The brand is young, though, with little track record, so that promise has yet to prove its worth.

For older players who throw hard from deep, the Forza 8x8 Throwing Net offers a big backstop with five pockets ringed in bright yellow that stay easy to pick out from a distance. A steel base and fiberglass poles hold the knotless net, and it works on grass, turf or a gym floor, with ground pegs and a carry bag included. It eats up a lot of yard, and too few buyers have owned it long to judge its lifespan.

The GoSports Xtraman isn't a net at all: it's a life-size defender printed on mesh and held up by a fiberglass frame. Set a few in front of a passer to practice lofting throws over the line, or stand them downfield as receivers to aim at. Coaches use them in team drills too, and each folds into its own bag. It won't stop a missed ball, so plan on walking after throws, and GoSports covers it for six months.

Younger kids and tailgate crowds will get the most from the GoSports Red Zone Challenge, a football toss game rather than a training net. A printed target with scoring holes sits on a plastic pipe frame with a weighted base, and the set adds small inflatable footballs, a pump and a dry-erase scoreboard. It goes together without tools and packs into a case. The soft mini balls build aim and fun more than real passing form.