The Miami Hurricanes’ Cam Ward has been the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft for some time now. Ward is currently listed at -140 as the favorite to be the first pick, according to FanDuel.
However, as the draft draws closer, the bigger question may not be who will be the No. 1 pick, but rather who will be making that selection.
Right now, the Tennessee Titans hold the first overall pick, but some believe new general manager Mike Borgonzi and second-year head coach Brian Callahan may not be completely sold on Ward or even this year’s other top quarterback prospect, Shedeur Sanders. That would make them candidates to trade down and move out of the top spot.
In CBS Sports’ latest mock draft, that’s exactly what they predict, with the Titans swapping first-round picks with the New York Jets, who would then select Ward at No. 1 to replace last year’s starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
“Compared to everyone else, they [Jets] are in a bad spot to get a quarterback at No. 7 if they don’t make a big play. … This is the class to do it where you’ll have evaluations all over the map,” NFL Draft analyst Mike Renner said. “If the Titans aren’t in love and are shopping the pick, I would be the first to call if I’m the New York Jets because if Cam Ward hits, you are a championship-caliber football team very, very quickly.”
The trade would drop the Titans to No. 7, where they would select University of Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
“[The trade down] is basically going to replenish this team that, quite frankly, has just not drafted well enough,” Renner said. “Pair [McMillan] with Calvin Ridley, definitely I think more of the skill set that Will Levis trends towards. Not the most accurate, but can go down the football field, and at this point, if you’re trading back to No. 7, you’re riding with Will Levis.”
Though Titans fans likely wouldn’t mind landing the 6-foot-5, 212-pound wideout, “riding with Will Levis” is probably not what they want to hear. Then again, it may not sit well with a fanbase that likely got excited when Borgonzi mentioned “generational talent,” immediately sparking speculation that Tennessee could target two-way superstar Travis Hunter out of Colorado.
In this mock draft, Hunter lands with the New York Giants at No. 3 overall.
As for Levis, he’ll be entering his third NFL season. With 21 starts under his belt, he has a record of just 5-16, throwing for 3,899 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 16 interceptions. But as Renner noted, pairing McMillan with Calvin Ridley could be a duo that helps unlock Levis’ potential.
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