Cam Ward, Miami’s dazzling quarterback, is riding a wave of hype straight to the top of the 2025 NFL Draft projections, with whispers pegging him as the Tennessee Titans’ likely No. 1 pick. The 22-year-old’s 2024 stat line – 4,313 passing yards, 39 touchdowns and just seven interceptions – screams superstar potential and earned him a spot as a Heisman finalist despite Miami missing the 12-team playoff. But like his buddy Shedeur Sanders, Ward opted to skip the NFL Combine workouts in Indianapolis this week, letting his college tape do the talking.
Both quarterbacks are present, though, chatting up teams and the media – Ward’s press conference dropped a few gems about his NFL prospects. Critics murmur it’s a cocky move for two guys who haven’t won a national title, let alone punched a playoff ticket. Sanders, Colorado’s gunslinger with 4,134 yards and 37 scores in ’24, skipped the combine altogether, a decision that’s rubbed some the wrong way-myself included-given its rarity for prospects. Ward is not far behind in the ego stakes, warning teams, “Pass on me and you’ll regret it for years.
Ward’s Top Five NFL QBs Unveiled
Ward is no stranger to bold takes, and he threw one Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium. Skipping Saturday’s throwing drills-he’ll save that for Miami’s Pro Day on March 24-Ward still made waves in his media session. When asked about the NFL’s elite quarterbacks today, he rattled off his top five: Jayden Daniels, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Super Bowl champion Jalen Hurts. It’s a juicy list, mixing veterans with a rookie sensation. Daniels, fresh off a stellar debut with Washington that took him to the NFC title game – only the sixth rookie QB to do so – caught Ward’s eye. Mahomes and Jackson feel like locks, their dazzling playmaking a mirror to Ward’s own style (he led the FBS with 39 TD passes in ’24). Allen’s a nod to raw power, while Hurts edges in with Philly’s dual-threat dominance. No Joe Burrow, though-maybe Ward’s banking on flash over Cincy’s quiet grit.
A Peek Into Ward’s Mindset
This top-five rundown isn’t just barstool banter-it hints at what Ward admires as he prepares for the pros. He’s met with the Titans, Browns, Giants, Raiders and Jets-all top-seven pick holders-and sounded confident that his five-year film reel (4,790 yards and 48 TDs between Washington State and Miami) says plenty. “Throwing here isn’t going to move the needle,” he shrugged, echoing a trend among top QBs like Caleb Williams and C.J. Stroud, who also skipped Combine throws. Ward’s eyeing a “plug-and-play” fit, citing the Giants’ Malik Nabers and stout defense as perks. His pro day will be the real showcase, but for now, he’s betting his tape-and swagger-will keep him atop draft boards. The Titans, who last went No. 1 in 1978 with Earl Campbell, could see Ward as their next Vince Young: a dynamic sparkplug to ignite a franchise itching for relevance.
Ward’s journey from Incarnate Word to Miami stardom has scouts buzzing – he’s a 6-foot-2, 223-pound creator who tied for the FBS lead in 20-plus-yard throws (74) last season. But the Combine snub, mirrored by Sanders, stirs debate. Is it arrogance or strategy? Sanders, eighth in Heisman voting, leans on his father Deion’s playbook, bypassing Indy to hone his craft elsewhere – fair, but it skips a stage countless prospects crave. Ward is in the same boat, present but not performing, relying on his numbers to silence the doubters. The Titans, who once rode Marcus Mariota’s promise to a 2017 playoff run before watching him fade to backup status, could see Ward as their redemption shot. Whether he’s the first QB off the board over Sanders, one thing is clear: Ward isn’t sweating the small stuff – he’s plotting a legacy.
Read the full article here
