ESPN's Jordan Reid defends Cam Ward as No. 1 overall pick over Shedeur Sanders in latest mock draft

Now that the NFL Draft order is set, the Tennessee Titans face a big question with the No. 1 overall pick. Do they take Miami quarterback Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders?

In his latest mock draft Tuesday, ESPN’s Jordan Reid had Tennessee taking Ward with the top spot. He pointed out the difference in both quarterbacks’ styles, but said the Miami star’s ability to improvise stands out.

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Reid cited the 2024 season-opener against Florida to make his point. In that game, Ward threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns to lead Miami to a resounding road victory. That helped separate him from Sanders, who put up a career year with 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns while leading the nation with a 74% completion percentage.

“That’s the big question that the Tennessee Titans have to answer with the No. 1 overall pick. Do I select Cam Ward of Miami? Or do I go with Shedeur Sanders of Colorado?” Reid said on SportsCenter Tuesday night. “Stylistically, they could not be any [more] different from each other. Shedeur Sanders is more of your prototypical pocket passer that wins from the pocket with his accuracy and his ball placement.

“But with Cam Ward, he’s just a wizard with the football. You see the improvisational skills that he has. You can bring up the Florida tape. There’s so many different other games that you can bring up with Cam Ward.”

Ward was a Heisman Trophy finalists this season as he threw for 4,313 yards and an FBS-leading 39 touchdowns. He initially declared for the draft last year, but opted to go back to school and play at Miami after two years at Washington State.

Of course, Ward started his career at the FCS level, helping Incarnate Word to the playoffs. His track record of success at each of his stops, though, is one of the intangibles that jumped out to Reid. He saw a similar path in Tennessee, which struggled mightily and is now looking for a new general manager, as well.

“What I love the most about Cam Ward is that every single stop he’s been at – whether it’s Incarnate Word in the FCS ranks, Washington State or, most recently, at Miami – he’s had a profound impact,” Reid said. “I love him having that type of impact, and I believe he can have that impact with the Tennessee Titans with the No. 1 overall pick.”