Miami Hurricanes star quarterback Cam Ward is projected to be one of the first players selected in the 2025 NFL draft. Ward and Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders are among the top college football prospects who are expected to be competing to be the No. 1 pick. The Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants are the two teams with the best chance to land the top pick. Both franchises are potential candidates to take a quarterback with their first selection, creating a potential dilemma on who to select between Ward and Sanders. Ward offers an NFL team more of a threat with his legs as his 196 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground indicate. Sanders has been a more accurate passer than Ward in 2024 completing 74.2% of his passes compared to 67.4% by the Canes quarterback. CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson predicted the New York Giants will choose Ward over Sanders with the No. 1 pick in his latest mock draft.
“Cam Ward would’ve likely been no better than QB5 in last year’s draft class, but he’s QB1 in 2024,” Wilson wrote on Monday. “Teams had a late Day 2/Day 3 grade on him over the summer, but he’s made big strides this season; he’s playing more from the pocket, he’s getting the ball out on time and he’s doing a better job of getting through his reads.
“We know about the athleticism and arm strength, but he’s gotten better each year he’s been in college, too.” The Giants are in the market for a new quarterback after the team abruptly released Daniel Jones in Nov. New York opted to cut Jones despite the former No. 6 selection’s four-year, $160 million contract being slated to run through the 2026 season. For his part, Ward does not seem to mind the Giants’ fit.
“I mean, if [Giants general manager Joe Schoen] wants to come get me, he knows best,” Ward explained prior to the Heisman ceremony, per The Palm Beach Post. “… The city of New York, I won’t be in the city probably ever. I’ll stay in New Jersey for all day, every day, it’s too much out here, so I just be vibing and trying to make some football plays for the Giants.”