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In a couple of months, the Tennessee Titans — or another team if new general manager Mike Borgonzi wants to acquire a haul for the first pick — will be making the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, and there's been plenty of speculation on who will hear their name called first. Will Colorado football's Shedeur Sanders be the No. 1 quarterback of the 2025 NFL Draft? Or maybe Miami football quarterback Cam Ward? Well, following the Senior Bowl — which neither Ward nor Sanders appeared at — there seems to be a near-consensus choice among peers of who the No. 1 pick will be, per ESPN's Pete Thamel.
“In a draft that projects to be defined by the Cam Ward vs. Shedeur Sanders debate for QB1, the building sentiment from scouts and executives this week was Ward is likely to be the No. 1 pick,” Thamel wrote. “This is more anecdotal than scientific, as neither passer was in town. But Ward's versatility and ability to run stand out as a separating traits.”
” ‘The reason I thought Jayden Daniels had a great rookie season is … when it wasn't there, he could make a play,' said Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson. ‘And Cam has that same ability. He's not going to be a guy that the speed of the game is going to affect him a lot in his timing. And when it does break down — because NFL defensive lines are elite — he's going to be able to save the play.' ”
Although this quarterback class doesn't rank similarly to the passers in the 2024 NFL Draft, that might not scare away some teams.
As noted by Thamel, there's still a strong belief that one of the top quarterbacks could go as early as the No. 1 pick.
Thamel believes it will be Ward out of Miami based on what he's heard at the Senior Bowl.
Now, when looking at Ward's draft profile, he isn't a Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye. All three quarterbacks had some part of the draft cycle where they were rumored to be the No. 1 pick — and those claims were valid.
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In the 2025 NFL Draft, the first pick seems like quite a mystery, involving players who aren't quarterbacks.
Players like Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter have been mentioned in the discussion for the No. 1 pick, and there likely wouldn't be much fan turmoil if one of those prospects got selected first.
In fact, it would be more surprising for Sanders to get drafted first over Carter and Hunter.
However, in the NFL — where it's difficult to predict what all 32 teams will do — there's even less certainty on how the 2025 NFL Draft will look.
But, if Thamer's reports were accurate, it appears Ward will be the first prospect to hear his name announced on April 24.
