Field Yates breaks down 'razor-thin' talent gap between Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward

With a few weeks left in the NFL season, the NFL Draft picture is coming into focus. Depending on how the board shakes out, the two top quarterbacks – Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward – could find themselves going atop the board.

To ESPN’s Field Yates, both players present strong options for teams in need of a quarterback. He pointed out the “razor-thin” talent gap between the two when breaking down their different skillsets.

Sanders impressed as a pocket passer at Colorado, showcasing an accuracy that jumped out to NFL evaluators. Ward, meanwhile, made his name as an improviser in two years at Washington State and one at Miami in 2024. While they’re different styles, Yates said they both have high ceilings at the next level.

“Razor-thin,” Yates said of the talent gap between Sanders and Ward. “Looking at the overall Big Board, we’re talking about Shedeur Sanders as my 14th-ranked player and Cam Ward as No. 17 overall. But the reality in the NFL is that quarterbacks are going to go early when you’ve got two teams as desperate for quarterbacks as the Giants and the Raiders are. And they have two very different styles of play. Shedeur Sanders, excellent pocket passer, terrific ball placement and accuracy. Great poise.

“That’s a trait that Cam Ward shares in common with him. Cam Ward, though, more of an ad-libbing type quarterback. He can make something out of nothing, a better overall athlete. Probably a stronger arm, as well. But these two players stack up very favorably to each other in this early portion of the pre-draft process.”

In his two years at Colorado after transferring from Jackson State, Sanders has completed 71.8% of his passes, and that number was 74.2% this season to lead the FBS. He also set new career-highs with 3,926 yards and 35 touchdowns to help lead Colorado’s turnaround to a 9-3 record.

As for Ward, he was one of the top passers in the country in his lone season at Miami. He ranked second in FBS with 4,123 passing yards and his 36 touchdown passes was one more than Sanders for the national lead. Ward also added 196 rushing yards and four touchdowns as he showcased his ability to extend plays.

Both players are planning to play in their respective bowl games, as well. Sanders and Colorado will take on BYU in the Alamo Bowl Dec. 28, while Ward and Miami are heading to the PopTarts Bowl to take on Iowa State.