2025 NFL Draft: Field Yates trolls Mel Kiper Jr. over idea Cam Ward, Will Levis compete for Titans starting QB

With the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, all signs point toward the Tennessee Titans selecting former Miami quarterback Cam Ward. That begs the question about what happens to Will Levis, and it led to quite the conversation between ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Field Yates.

Ward is becoming the virtual consensus No. 1 pick in the draft, even after the Titans opted not to trade down and build around Levis. The former Miami star held a private workout with the franchise following his Pro Day, and the growing sense is he’ll be in Nashville in 2025.

As for whether Ward should be the starting quarterback, Kiper wasn’t ready to declare that just yet. He predicted Levis could still compete with him for the job, knowing what response he’d get from Yates and Matt Miller.

“I will say this. Will Levis – who I know Matt and Field did not like coming out of Kentucky. I had high hopes for him, I still have hope that he will compete and he will compete hard for that job. [It] will not be given to Cam Ward,” Kiper said on his Mock Draft 4.0 special. “He’s going to have to earn it. It’s going to be the second year for Will Levis in that offense. He played hurt with the AC joint injury last year. We’ll see how it goes. But Cam Ward, you keep taking the shots at quarterback.

“We don’t know who Will can be. I don’t know, I don’t have a crystal ball. But I do know he has talent, and certainly Cam Ward does, as well. But this is going to be be Cam Ward’s team eventually, unless Will Levis shocks the world.”

Kiper was high on Levis out of Kentucky in the 2023 NFL Draft, but things haven’t necessarily gone as planned in Tennessee the last two years. This past season, he threw for 2,091 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also totaling 12 interceptions as the Titans finished 3-14. As Kiper noted, Levis was also dealing with an injury.

But in Ward, who led college football with 39 passing touchdowns while throwing for 4,313 yards, Yates argued the Titans would have a Day 1 starter. That’s why he called out Kiper for standing alone with his thoughts on Levis’ potential to compete for the job.

“You know, I’ve heard some stories – some legendary stories – about how Mel and his lovely wife, Kim, live on this huge island,” Yates said with a smirk. “It’s somewhere in Maryland. We don’t know exactly where it is, until now. It’s called, Will Levis Island. You’re the only two people that still inhabit that place, Mel.

“Come on, now. Cam Ward goes No. 1 overall, I don’t care if it takes six months or six minutes to name him the starter. He’s the type of Week 1 starter you can put that one down in Sharpie.”

Ward’s ability to make plays outside the pocket could be intriguing to Brian Callahan and new general manager Mike Borgonzi if they want to select their own quarterback. With two weeks to go until the 2025 NFL Draft, things appear to be trending toward the Titans drafting Ward atop the board.