2025 NFL Draft: Debating Cam Ward-Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter-Abdul Carter

Joel Klatt

Lead College Football Analyst

The 2025 NFL Draft is almost here, and I’ve released one last mock draft before Day 1’s arrival.

Before the action starts Thursday, I sat down with NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah on the most recent episode of my podcast, “The Joel Klatt Show.” Jeremiah and I will be on the desk together for the first two nights of NFL Network’s coverage of the draft, and I think he’s one of the best in the business.

Here are some highlights of my conversation with Jeremiah, in which we discussed this quarterback class and many other hot topics surrounding the 2025 NFL Draft.

Klatt: This year is an interesting quarterback class. I wouldn’t call it elite, but I want to talk about the top three quarterbacks because we have it ordered a little bit differently. I have Shedeur Sanders over Cam Ward and then we both have Jaxson Dart at No. 3.

Jeremiah: I have Cam Ward [at No. 1], then I have a little bit of a gap before we get to Shedeur. To me, No. 2 is closer to No. 3 than No. 2 is closer to No. 1. I think that [opinion] varies by team. If you look at it from a 30,000-foot view of these quarterbacks … it’s nothing like what we saw last year. … I always tell people the grade for me on Cam was the same grade that I gave to Bo Nix, and I like Cam. I think he’s got a live arm. I like the fact that over his travels, I think you’ve seen him get better and better throughout his college career. He kind of carried that Miami team on his back last year.

On the plus side for Cam, he’ll challenge every blade of grass with his arm strength, and he has no fear. … I just thought there was a noticeable difference in how [Sanders and Ward] drove the football. I thought Cam could access more of the field with his arm than Shedeur. The other thing I thought was, there [were] times when you get free rushers on Cam. Now, he doesn’t have as many free rushers as Shedeur had, but I thought he was stronger and sturdier. You can kind of see him pull through bodies. When space got constricted, I didn’t think he needed a lot of space to operate there. He just felt like a stronger guy.

Shedeur Sanders & Cam Ward in Joel Klatt’s Top 5 QB’s in 2025 NFL Draft

Klatt: I like Cam a lot. One thing I really like about these three guys, mainly the top two, is that they’ve played a ton of football. I’m a big believer in that. If you look at the starters who have won Super Bowls in this league, generally speaking, in their college careers, they are widely experienced. Everything you said about Cam is absolutely accurate. The other thing that I like about Shedeur and Cam is that they played behind poor offensive lines, at times, in their careers.

As far as Shedeur goes, I know exactly how bad Colorado was when he got there. I know Deion Sanders was a huge catalyst for their turnaround and there was an influx of talent, but the biggest difference was that they finally had a quarterback. There’s this combination of this surgeon and magician with Shedeur, and you’re right about some of the strength issues and there are times when he retreats more than I’d like him to, but you get these moments when everything’s right, he’s surgical. Then, you get these times when everything breaks down, and he turns into a magician in order to make the play down the field.

Jeremiah: The two things that you can hang your hat on [with Sanders] are that you can’t question his toughness, you’re just not allowed to. … The other thing is, when things are clean and he’s got sight lines, he’s incredibly accurate. He can put the ball in a mailbox. Like, he has pinpoint accuracy when things are there for him.

NFL Draft: Is Jaxson Dart challenging Shedeur Sanders for QB2 in this draft?

Klatt: I’d love to hear your thoughts on Jaxson Dart. Do we think he’ll sneak into the first round?

Jeremiah: We’re getting close. When we get close, there’s so much conflicting information that’s flying around. I’ve talked to people who think that when it’s all said and done, we might only have one quarterback go in the first round. You talk to other people, and they say we’re gonna have three go in the top 10, especially with the Derek Carr information that’s now out there about his shoulder issues.

When I get asked this question, I always wanna say, “Can I tell you after the Giants’ pick?” The Giants feel, to me, like the Shedeur team. You can make a strong case for why they should take a quarterback because of the need they have at that position. You can also make the case that there are two elite players in this draft, and they have a chance to get one of them. If [the latter] happens, I think Jaxson Dart’s [draft stock] gets interesting. I think the Giants are going to come away with a quarterback with one of their first two picks. I think Cleveland is going to come away with a quarterback with its second pick.

Klatt: So, that’s a perfect Dart landing spot if Shedeur gets taken at No. 3.

Jeremiah: If the Giants don’t take Shedeur [at No. 3] and he were to go to New Orleans, Pittsburgh or wherever, my antenna would be up for the Giants and Jaxson Dart. I do think it’s a coin flip that Jaxson Dart goes in the first round. The things I like about Dart as a player — and I made this comparison, which is a little unorthodox, but it reminded me of Jalen Hurts’ journey — [are] not necessarily an identical comp as players, but as guys who got better each and every year. Guys who, when you talk to folks around them, they talk about their competitiveness, toughness and likability. Teammates love being around him, and that was at both places, USC and Ole Miss.

I thought [Dart’s] best football is still in front of him with the trend line heading into the positive direction. He doesn’t have elite arm strength, but it’s good. He’s not an elite athlete, but he’s a good athlete who ran a bunch in the SEC. Kind of buying on the competitive kid and the trend line.

Klatt: That’s so funny that you mentioned Jalen Hurts. Do you know who I thought of as a college comp for Dart? Bo Nix. There are flashes early, but every year they both got a little bit better. By the end, you’re like, “OK, I can see this.” Here’s the one concern I have with Dart. With Bo, you could project him into Sean Payton’s, but I struggle with projecting how Dart will play coming out of Lane Kiffin’s offense. It’s a great offense, but there are so many wide-open throws or pre-snap decision throws. Like, scripted winners. There aren’t a ton of post-snap throws where the quarterback needs to be a dog in the pocket.

But let’s get into the two elite players in the draft. I’ve got Travis Hunter at the top and Abdul Carter at No. 2. You have Carter at No. 1, but we both agree that he and Hunter are the top two players in this class. I’d love to hear why you have Carter at No. 1.

Jeremiah: I’ve had Abdul Carter [at No. 1] through this entire process, but I’ve had a wayward eye.

Klatt: Oh, are you peeking?

Jeremiah: I’m just peeking a little at Travis Hunter. I’m not gonna sit in front of the judge and jury and give the all-in case for Abdul Carter, because there’s going to be some deliberations, but I love both these players. I’ll start with Abdul Carter. Does he have an elite trait? Yes, he does. He can get off the rock. He has elite, elite burst. He can turn the corner once he gets to the top of his rush, and he is a finisher. Now, he hadn’t played off the edge his whole career, so I think this is just like a piece of clay that you can mold like there’s more in there.

The other thing — because I hear it a lot because he didn’t work out, and he has been hurt a little bit — but I don’t think people are labeling him as someone who’s all-in and passionate. I refute it. I’m like, “Guys, he played in the playoff with one arm.” He was the best player on the field.

Klatt: What’s so funny is that I’m around Penn State as much as anybody, and I’ve never had that on my radar.

Jeremiah: Now, here’s the moment where I had a wandering eye. We were covering [Colorado’s] pro day and this sounds so dumb to people, but I think you’ll get it. [Hunter] goes the whole workout, and it was a brisk workout. Some of the routes he ran, he got some criticism, like, “Oh, it’s kind of like Instagram routes.” He’s really taking his time doing all these different releases, and almost looking like an And-1 mixtape with some of the routes that he was running out there. But he’s so dang athletic. He’s got such elite ball skills.

But it was the moment at the very end of the workout. We did a close up and it was all the guys there. You see the guys with sweat on them and the sweat through their shirt. That dude did not have a drop of sweat on his face. And I thought, “This guy is a cyborg, like he is just completely different.”

Klatt: It’s remarkable. When you’re watching film of a player’s cut-up, you would never realize that Hunter’s playing his 125th consecutive snap. I never got the sense that he was tired in the fourth quarter of any game. As for what position Hunter will play, I think he’s going to be a full-time defender because it’s really tough to find a guy with those type of traits as a cover corner. Then, I think you slot him in as a No. 2 or 3 receiver offensively and limit him to 15-to-18 snaps per game.

Jeremiah: It’s always been major in defense, minor in offense. You have a package of plays on offense, but you’re a full-time defensive player. He’s the first one that I’ve ever lobbied for the opposite. … I think he’s further along on offense. No. 2, he wants to play offense. He lists himself as a wide receiver who plays DB, not the other way around. Even at his pro day when they asked him about that, he was very adamant that he sees himself as an offensive player.

As a defensive player, I don’t think this is a Pat Surtain, “Leave him over on the side in press, leave him on that half of the field and let him go.” I think he’s better playing top down. You mentioned his instincts — that’s where he is absolutely at his best.

2025 NFL Draft: Travis Hunter & Tyler Warren in Joel Klatt’s top ten players

Klatt: I have a couple more things I want to hit on. I love this tight end class. I was around both Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren a lot in the Big Ten. I actually have Loveland ranked ahead of Warren. Warren exploits space with creativity as well as any tight end that I’ve seen in a long time in college football. The creativity he used to impact the game was immense. Loveland was in a more rigid offense and had to create his own space. I think Loveland can create his own wins as a better route runner and technician with the fluidity and polish he has.

So, one player creates space and the other player exploits space. To me, what you have here is basically the Rob Gronkowski way or the Travis Kelce way. Both can be incredibly effective.

Jeremiah: I’ve said the exact same thing. I did this whole conversation on the fact that we have two trees. You have the tree of Kelce, which is the route runners, change of direction, quickness and the separation. Then you have the Gronk tree, which is the bigger guy who plays bigger, going to be a seam runner, on the move, be an inline blocker and going to bully people when the ball’s in the air.

Six and seven are where they are [on my top prospects] list. I have Warren at six, Loveland at seven. So, they’re right there. That’s what’s unique about this draft and probably one of the things that’s not great in terms of endorsing this draft, is that three of the top seven players are a running back and two tight ends.

Klatt: I do think there are a lot of starters in this draft. One last thing, who is your favorite player to watch on tape in this draft? It doesn’t have to be a star.

Jeremiah: My favorite thing that I’ve seen in this draft is the pass protection tape for TreVeyon Henderson.

Klatt: Stop it! We didn’t talk about this beforehand, but you literally stole my answer.

Jeremiah: The way I described it was, when I watch something that I struggle to find the right words to describe what I’m seeing that I’m creating new ways of describing something … with him, if you slow it down, it looks like “The Matrix” when he hits guys. You just see the slow-motion of the arms flailing and the feet up in the air. Like, he’s an animal in pass protection and there are so few guys in college that are good at it. Shoot, there aren’t too many guys in the NFL that are good at it. He’s one of the best pass-protecting running backs that I’ve ever evaluated.

Joel Klatt is FOX Sports’ lead college football game analyst and the host of the podcast “The Joel Klatt Show.” Follow him at @joelklatt and subscribe to the “Joel Klatt Show” on YouTube.

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