Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward’s game film will be put through the wringer in the months leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft. The talent is there, but concerns over his style of play have led some draft experts to rate him as the second-best quarterback in the draft instead of the top spot.
One draft analyst explained what led him to that decision.
Prominent Draft Expert Points Out Deficiencies in Cam Ward’s Game
The debate about who will be the first quarterback selected in the 2025 NFL Draft is ongoing. Unless someone unexpectedly shoots up draft boards during the NFL Combine and pro days, the two candidates are Colorado Buffaloes’ Shedeur Sanders and Miami Hurricanes’ Cam Ward.
ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. weighed in on the topic in an appearance on “Get Up.”
“Going number one for Tennessee, I’m taking Cam Ward,” Kiper said. “Not because he’s my highest-rated quarterback — Shedeur Sanders is my QB1 — but because my friends in the NFL are saying, ‘hey, the live arm, the mobility, the high completion percentage at three different programs, didn’t throw a lot of interceptions.'”
Kiper continued, this time in his own words.
“But he’s a little careless, little reckless with the football in terms of ball security at times. He’s cleaned that up a little this year. Certainly, Cam Ward makes sense for that pick number-one for Tennessee.”
According to Kiper, the expectation is that the Tennessee Titans — who hold the No. 1 overall selection — would take Ward over Sanders. Yet, on Kiper’s draft board, Sanders sits on top due to Ward’s reckless nature of play.
Since the moment Ward stepped on a college field, he’s produced. At FCS-level Incarnate Word in 2020 and 2021, Ward threw 71 touchdowns and nearly 7,000 yards.
He transferred to Washington State to join the Cougars in 2022, where he spent two seasons. His excellence continued in the Pac-12, throwing 48 TDs and rushing for 13 scores in two seasons.
For his final campaign, Ward transferred to Miami. He finished in fourth place in the Heisman voting, proving himself to be one of the best players in the country. He was the engine behind the Hurricane’s top-10 ranking for much of the season before two losses late in the regular season.
In 2024, Ward’s interception rate of 1.5% was tied for 15th in the country. Ward also ranked 12th in the country in completion rate and second in passing yards, showcasing his excellence at not only throwing the ball down the field but also doing so accurately. His 88.7 QBR ranked second in the country.
Ward did throw seven INTs on the season, but when you compare that to the 39 TDs that he threw, it’s not a bad number. After fumbling the ball eight times as a Cougar in 2023, Ward secured the ball much better to the tune of only three fumbles with Miami.
KEEP READING: Where Does Ward Land in Our 2025 NFL Draft QB Rankings?
While the fifth-year QB does have a nonchalant play style at times — standing flat-footed in the pocket, jogging out of bounds, and having the ball lay at his side as he runs — it didn’t seem to be an issue at the college level.
But ultimately, it’s Kiper’s — and NFL general managers’ — jobs to decide if that will hamper Ward at the next level.
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