NFL Draft: Former WSU QB Cam Ward is the No. 1 pick
Apr 24, 2025, 5:23 PM | Updated: 5:30 pm
Former WSU Cougars QB Cam Ward passes against the UW Huskies in the 2023 Apple Cup. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
BY
The Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Cam Ward has gone from zero-star recruit to No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.
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The Tennessee Titans selected the Miami quarterback and former WSU Cougars star first overall on Thursday night. A process that began with the Titans exploring their options shifted a few weeks ago when it became clear Ward would be their man.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement to kick off the draft, which for the first time was held next to historic Lambeau Field. The NFL’s smallest market is hosting the league’s biggest offseason event as thousands of fans from across the country traveled to Titletown for the festivities.
Goodell rode a bicycle onto the draft stage and was followed by former Packers stars Clay Matthews, Jordy Nelson, Mason Crosby, Ahman Green and James Jones, as well as rap megastar and Green Bay superfan Lil Wayne.
Titans fans cheered inside the draft theater after hearing Ward’s name called. An overlooked high school player out of Texas, Ward began his college career at Incarnate Word, an FCS school in San Antonio. He played two seasons at Washington State after transferring there in 2022 and then set school records in his only season at Miami, finishing fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.
The Titans are coming off a three-win season and have missed the playoffs three straight years. Ward is the fourth quarterback Tennessee has drafted in the first round over the past two decades, joining Marcus Mariota (No. 2, 2015), former UW Huskies star Jake Locker (No. 8, 2011) and Vince Young (No. 3, 2006).
Mariota is the only QB drafted by Tennessee in that span who led the team to a playoff win. That was back in 2017.
Will Levis, the 33rd overall pick in 2023, is 5-16 as a starter in his two seasons with the Titans.
Ward led the country with 39 touchdown passes and finished second with 4,313 yards passing while leading the Hurricanes to a 10-3 record. Ward also had only seven interceptions and completed 67.2% of his passes. That followed two seasons at Washington State, where he threw for more yards and TDs in each season while dropping his interceptions from nine in in 2022 to seven in 2023.
The 6-foot-2, 219-pound Ward did his best to make his case at Miami’s pro day. He completed one pass on the run, then told the Titans’ top officials, “I’m solidifying it today … I made sure they heard me.”
The Associated Press’ Terry McCormick contributed to this post.
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