January 22, 2025
Ward and
Shedeur Sanders rank as the leading candidates to be the first quarterback selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, according to a recent poll of 20 scouts and executives administered by
Pete Thamel of ESPN.com.
ANALYSISPer Thamel, 11 members of the polling body tabbed Sanders as the top prospect in the draft, while nine went with Ward, a fifth-year senior out of Miami. The Titans hold the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and should be in the market for a quarterback, given the poor production the team received from
Will Levis and
Mason Rudolph in 2024. Even if the Titans select Sanders or opt for a player at another position with the top pick, Ward should have strong odds of being a top-five selection. Though he began his college career at the FCS level with Incarnate Word in 2020, Ward was productive upon making the jump to the FBS in 2022 with Washington State, where he started for two seasons before moving on to Miami. He took home the Davey O'Brien Award in his lone season with the Hurricanes, completing 67.2 percent of his 454 pass attempts for 4,313 yards and a 39:7 TD:INT while adding 204 yards and four scores on 60 carries.