The Tennessee Titans took a bold swing by selecting former Miami quarterback Cameron Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. He is the third consecutive quarterback and ninth in the last 11 years to be selected first overall, a trend that reflects the growing urgency in the NFL to secure a franchise quarterback. Now, the spotlight turns to Ward — and the question Dan Graziano of ESPN posed resonates across the league: How soon can he live up to that status?
Ward joins a Titans team desperate for offensive revival. Tennessee’s 2024 campaign saw the team rank 26th in passing yards, 16th in touchdown passes, and 31st in interceptions. That’s a recipe for change, and Ward is the centerpiece of a total offensive reboot under new head coach Brian Callahan — the former Bengals offensive coordinator who helped shepherd Joe Burrow into the league.
Burrow’s rookie season offers one potential comparison point. Before suffering a season-ending injury in 2020, Burrow completed 65.3 percent of his passes for 2,688 yards, 13 touchdowns, and five interceptions over 10 games. While his team only went 2-7-1 in that span, Burrow’s command of the offense and poise under pressure suggested future greatness. A year later, the Bengals were AFC Champions.
Can Ward replicate that trajectory? It’s a tall order — but the Titans have made deliberate moves to support their rookie quarterback. Tennessee revamped its offensive line, signing tackle Dan Moore and veteran guard Kevin Zeitler. In the passing game, they retained top receiver Calvin Ridley and added Tyler Lockett, along with rookies Elic Ayomanor and Chimere Dike. Crucially, the team also signed Xavier Restrepo, Ward’s most trusted target at Miami, offering Ward an immediate comfort zone.
The infrastructure around Ward appears far stronger than what Bryce Young had in Carolina in 2023 or even what Caleb Williams inherited in Chicago last year. Young struggled as a rookie (59.8% completions, 11 TDs, 10 INTs), and his Panthers finished 2-14. Williams showed more promise (3,541 yards, 20 TDs, 6 INTs), but the Bears still went 5-12.
Expectations for Ward should be tempered by history. Even elite quarterbacks typically endure growing pains. But Tennessee isn’t necessarily asking for a playoff berth in Year 1 — rather, they’re hoping to see flashes of leadership, growth, and playmaking that indicate Ward is the long-term answer.
Early training camp buzz and glowing endorsements such as Louis Riddick’s labeling of Ward as a “football savant” and “stone-cold killer of a leader” — suggest the intangibles are there. If the Titans can keep Ward upright and give him time to develop chemistry with his new weapons, it’s not outlandish to think he could match, or even exceed, the rookie-year benchmarks set by Young and Williams.
Realistically, Ward may not fully live up to his No. 1 pick status in 2025  but he could prove he’s the right pick by year’s end. The foundation is in place. Now it’s about growth, adaptation, and seizing the moment.
