NFL Draft analyst explains why scouts will 'fall in love' with Cam Ward

Cam Ward‘s final game in a Miami jersey is set for Saturday. Following that game, Ward is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks to hear their name called in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.

ESPN’s Matt Miller, an NFL Draft analyst, has strong thoughts on the Hurricanes’ signal-caller. Ward isn’t his top quarterback in the cycle, but Miller believes Ward’s explosive and exciting brand of football will be attractive to NFL teams during the pre-draft cycle.

“Cam Ward is going to be the player that scouts, the general managers, coaches, fall in love with,” Miller said during an appearance on SportsCenter on Saturday morning. “He is my No. 2 quarterback, but he is just a smidge behind Shedeur Sanders.

“They’re completely different players, though. Cam Ward is a playmaker. He has a big-time arm, he’ll move around in the pocket to find ideal passing windows, he’ll rip it with velocity down the field, and if it’s there, he’ll beat you with his legs as well.”

Ward finished his lone season at Miami with 36 passing touchdowns, four rushing touchdowns, the best QBR in college foootball (88.0) to go along with over 4,300 yards of total offense across 12 games for the Hurricanes in 2024. Miami would go on to score 30 or more points in 11 of those matchups.

“It’s the big time arm talent,” Miller continued. “Sometimes he bets on that a little bit too much, and that can lead to bad decisions that could be a fumble, a sack or maybe an interception, but he has huge potential. He has the character and the leadership that I think teams are going to fall in love with.”

On Saturday, Ward has one more opportunity to impress scouts during an in-game setting. Miami will take on Iowa State — another team that was one win away from a College Football Playoff berth — in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET live on ABC.