Scouting Report: Cam Ward

We take a deep dive into one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Cam Ward (University of Miami)

22 Years Old

6’2 223

Report:

Cam Ward highlights what is shaping up to be a really bad quarterback class. We’re talking shades of 2022 (i.e. Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder, Malik Willis), but I can confidently say that Ward is a better prospect than any of those players, which in all honesty isn’t saying much, but there’s some real upside with Ward.

Ward has a rocket launcher attached to his right shoulder, and that’s under selling it, he has a SPECIAL arm. He can make any throw he’ll be needed to at the next level and then some. Ward can access the short, intermediate, and deep levels of the field with ease and while yes, he can generate an enormous amount of velocity with just the flick of his wrist, he also does a good job switching from throwing haymakers to throwing with touch when he needs to. Unlike other “gunslinging” prospects that have entered the league in recent years, Ward rarely has issues with accuracy, and when he does it is typically a footwork issue rather than him being an inaccurate quarterback. He’s a naturally gifted passer with a lightning quick release.

The special traits from purely an arm perspective is enough to make Ward an intriguing prospect, but it’s when you add in the fact that this guy is a MAGICIAN with the ball in his hands that you can really start to see the elite upside that so many people rave about. Ward has shades of Caleb Williams in his ability to create outside of the pocket and extend the play, and this ability was a large reason (If not the largest reason) that Williams was drafted with the first overall pick last year. He’s a great athlete for his size (6’2, 223-pounds) and a real threat on the ground. Ward pairs this threat on the ground with an uncanny ability to throw off platform and from what seems like any arm angle. I can comfortably say he’s the best improviser in this draft, a trait that seems to become more and more necessary every season. He will get Mahomes comparisons from people this offseason, and while that is unfair just like it was for Caleb Williams, that’s truly what his upside in the NFL can be. An ELITE NFL quarterback.

The traits are clearly off the charts, seems like a clear, slam dunk, first round quarterback. Well, not quite.

There is so much good with Ward from an intangibles perspective, he has the tools to become a truly elite quarterback. There is a world where he is Patrick Mahomes or that level of quarterback, but there’s also a world (The more likely outcome) where he’s Will Levis. You see he’s a gunslinger through and through, with all the positives, and more importantly, NEGATIVES that come with that label. Ward doesn’t believe that there is a pass he can’t complete, and it leads to him often taking major risks with the football. While he has definitely shown the ability to read the field, more often than not he’s looking at his first read, throwing to it, or looking to run out of the pocket to extend the play. Which leads into my next point, he is a fantastic improviser, but he abandons the structure of the play far too often in favor of this play style. Too many times I saw him run out of a clean pocket, passing up open receivers in favor of a bigger play.

That’s also a big issue with Ward, he’s constantly looking for the home run ball. I caught myself saying “Take what the defense gives you!” more times than I could count, but it’s a concept that he needs to learn quickly. He holds on to the ball for far too long, a problem that Caleb Williams, a QB who has a similar style of play, is dealing with in his rookie season. This leads to unnecessary negative plays, that if he had hit the underneath receiver or thrown the ball away, he could have easily avoided. From a mechanics perspective, Ward is about as raw as it gets. The footwork is straight up bad, his three step drop is more of a three step hop. Bad foot placement and not involving his lower body in his throwing motion can lead to him missing throws high. Another thing that needs to be worked on is his ability to read defenses post-snap. Secondaries took advantage of Ward by disguising coverages pre-snap and changing post, which Ward consistently was unable to adapt to.

Ward is a raw, uber-talented quarterback whose range of outcomes is about as wide as it gets. He has an incredibly high ceiling, but an equally low floor that a team in the top 5 of this draft might take a gamble on. That is however, what Cam Ward is, a gamble. In last years class, Ward would have been QB7 at best and I would have had an early third to late fourth round grade on him. However, there’s a significant chance he finishes as the top quarterback in this draft. More than likely, he’ll be one of the first two players off the board, and that should tell you what to expect from the rest of his class.

Grade: Mid 2nd-Early 3rd

Rank: QB1 (Subject to change)

Strengths:

- Magician

= Rocket Arm

= Easily generates enough power/velocity to consistently throw outside of the numbers.

= Dual Threat, good athlete that can not only run when he needs to but also has a knack for creating on the move.

= Natural thrower on the move, can throw from varying arm angles, Mahomes-esque in that regard.

= Looks to pass first when he gets out on the move, will run when he sees the right opportunity.

= While he looks to pass first, he is a real threat on the ground, good speed and agility makes him a tough dude to bring down.

= Calm and collected at all times, moment is never too big for him, the nonchalant memes while funny are true.

= Has a quick release, flick of the wrist to generate velocity.

= Has shown to ability to utilize his eyes to hold players in coverage and take advantage with his arm.

= Has shown the ability to get through his reads. Needs to do it on a much more consistent bases however.

= Has shown flashes of great anticipatory throwing.

Weaknesses:

= Concerning footwork at times, the nonchalant thing is funny but there are times when he needs more urgency dropping back, tends to hop instead of taking his steps.

= The bad footwork can lead to inaccuracy.

= Sometimes doesn’t involve his lower body in his throwing motion, making it all arm.

= Want to clean up his mechanics, from footwork to throwing motion, has a habit of throwing completely side armed when he doesn’t need to.

= If he sees an opportunity to get outside the pocket, he is most likely taking it, pocket presence and overall sense of pressure could use work.

= He’s a gunslinger, and with those positive traits also comes the negative ones in full force. He’s never seen a window he can’t throw into, even if he really can’t.

= Needs to learn to throw with anticipation way more consistently.

= Doesn’t have a great pocket presence, can often lead to him running himself into sacks.

= Tends to lock onto his first read.

= He loves throwing to his receivers 1 on 1 up the sideline, even when there are better options available.

= Needs to learn how to take what the defense gives him rather than looking for the home run ball all the time.

= For the most part, does not do a good job getting from one to two to three. Doesn’t read the field well.

= Can hold on to the ball for too long, needs to have more awareness of when a play is over, has Caleb Williams problem he’s facing in the NFL right now.

= Yes he has a ton of magician and wow plays, but he makes those plays while at times passing up what the defense is giving him, not going to work at NFL level.

= Starts moving around if any pressure shows up, want to see him step into a throw and take a hit when something is open.

= Struggles against coverages that change post snap.