The Titans Got It Right in Picking Cam Ward First Overall in the 2025 NFL Draft

I agree with the overall sentiment that the 2025 NFL Draft was a disappointing crop for quarterbacks.

I disagree that Cam Ward should be included as part of that discussion. He was a prospect worthy of going first overall, and the Tennessee Titans did the right thing by taking him first overall on Thursday night.

Let's dig into Ward's profile and why he's worthy of this slot before we lay out what it could mean for the Titans this season.

What Cam Ward's College Stats Say

The ideal quarterback prospect is someone who is young, experienced, and efficient. You want someone who forced his way on the field right away, was good enough to declare for the draft early, and put up solid efficiency stats.

For Ward, two outta three ain't bad.

Between his time at Incarnate Ward, Washington State, and Miami, Ward had 10-plus pass attempts in 57 collegiate games. That's the fourth most for any quarterback invited to the combine since 2010. He checks the experience box.

Ward's 88.7 Total QBR this year with Miami ranks in the 93rd percentile of quarterback prospects in this span, showing he had the efficiency, as well.

The only aspect where Ward falls a bit short is his age. He's 22.9 years old, higher than the average for a first-round pick since 2010 (22.3). But it's right between the ages of Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels entering last year's draft, and Ward is younger than Shedeur Sanders despite starting one extra year in college. Even Ward's biggest statistical flaw isn't that concerning.

Below is how Ward's resume stacks up against the 11 other quarterbacks taken first overall since 2010. The AY/A is their adjusted yards per attempt in their final collegiate season. The model ranking is where that player stacks up in my quarterback prospect model, which weighs these factors and compares them to all other quarterbacks invited to the combine since 2010. The model does not factor in draft capital at all; it's strictly based on their collegiate resumes.

Ward's stacks up favorably compared to the others.

If you're old, you had better have boatloads of reps under your belt coming out. Ward has that, and it helps make him a top 10 prospect in the history of my model.

The rest of the players in the class all had some sort of flaw, whether it was efficiency, age, or scouts not liking them as much as my numbers did. Ward was the exception, and it made him the right choice for the Titans.

Can the Titans Thrive Immediately With Cam Ward?

As much as I like Ward, it is important to keep expectations in check. Most rookie quarterbacks aren't efficient right from the jump, and the Titans have plentiful other holes on their roster.

A couple things do work to their advantage, though.

One of them is their schedule. Based on my win total model, the Titans currently have the second easiest schedule in the entire league. They've got very winnable home games both in their division but also against the New Orleans Saints and New England Patriots. They also face the Cleveland Browns on the road, further boosting their projected win total. Only 6 of their 17 games are against teams that made the playoffs last year.

As a result, I have the Titans projected for 6.6 wins this year. Their win total at FanDuel Sportsbook is at 5.5 with -140 on the over, meaning I'm largely in line with the market if not a bit above it.

That mark still puts the Titans at just +650 to win the AFC South. They're pretty clear underdogs even in a weaker division. I'm high enough on Ward, though, to think that I'll be able to bet them in individual games early in the season, so I do think Titans fans should be a hair more optimistic about the short term than the betting markets would imply.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.