When the Tennessee Titans make the first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, it will likely signal the next chapter in the remarkable story of Cam Ward. The Miami quarterback is a significant betting favorite (-20000), per FanDuel Sportsbook, to be the No. 1 overall pick.
The most likely order of the top five picks (-120) is Ward, followed by Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, Will Campbell, and Ashton Jeanty — which means the one-time zero-star recruit is set to outpace a Heisman winner and more. And yes, we fully expect the term “zero-star recruit” to resurface when Ward takes the stage with Roger Goodell.
It’s true that Ward had no stars when he signed with Incarnate Word, an FCS university in San Antonio, back in 2020. He chose UIW over Texas Southern. It wasn’t a lack of respect for his skills; they simply had no idea who he was. Not many people did.
North Texas head coach Eric Morris, leading the program at Incarnate Word when Ward arrived, had never seen him before. “We didn’t know who he was beforehand. Watching him during warmups, the ball was just popping off his hand, and I pulled coach (Mack) Leftwich aside and asked, ‘Who is this kid?’”
Ward’s high school career in West Columbia, Texas, didn’t earn him significant attention, but his undeniable talent became evident when he transferred.
In 19 games at Incarnate Word, he threw for 6,900 yards and 71 touchdowns, eventually transferring to Miami, where he excelled in his junior year.
Morris continues to support Ward, who is seen as a remarkable prospect ready for the NFL, emphasizing his fantastic leadership and competitive nature.
