Inside The Bears

Baylor Football: Could Sawyer Robertson be this year’s Cam Ward?

One prominent former ESPN scout seems to think so 

Josh Crawford

Todd McShay thinks BU QB Sawyer Robertson could be a potential 1st round pick by year's end
Todd McShay thinks BU QB Sawyer Robertson could be a potential 1st round pick by year's end / Via: Locked on Baylor
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Last week, former ESPN and current Ringer employee Todd McShay, a veteran NFL scout for over 20 years, went through a rundown of his current evaluation of the 2026 NFL quarterback draft class. During his most recent mailbag session, McShay was posed the question who he thought could be this year’s “Cam Ward” -- a quarterback that’s mostly off the radar, but could end up being a meteoric riser leading up to next April. 

Ward was a known commodity before his senior season in Miami, after two standout seasons at Washington State (I actually played against Ward his freshman year at Incarnate Word, while at Prairie View A&M -- the poise and arm were immediately evident), but even after dipping his toes into the draft in January 2024, he was seen as mostly a good college quarterback with a Day 2 or 3 draft grade. However, the big stage, combined with consistent improvement, has now turned Ward into the face and hopeful savior of the Tennessee Titans. 

That’s why McShay’s answer — Baylor’s Sawyer Robertson — immediately jumped out. He’s not a household name. He’s not even a consensus top-15 quarterback in most way-too-early 2026 mock drafts or draft boards. But there is a path, and when someone as experienced and credentialed as McShay sees it, there’s reason to take it seriously. And the more you think about it, it looks eerily similar to the one Ward carved out for himself.

Just like Ward before his Hurricane stint, Robertson enters his final year of college eligibility with no doubt that he can be a good or even a great college quarterback, but his projection to the next level is a bit murkier. McShay’s critiques include Robertson’s inconsistent downfield accuracy, and while he has a good arm, he doesn’t have the booming cannon of a Josh Allen or a Justin Herbert -- again, not unlike Ward. But, also like Ward, he’s showing signs of building momentum and putting it all together. As McShay stated, Robertson flashed real command and poise during the final stretch of last season, despite inconsistent offensive line play and not being the Week 1 starter. And, his invite to this summer’s Manning Passing Academy, typically reserved for established stars or under-the-radar risers (Ward received the invite in 2023 after his first season in Pullman) only adds to the notion that NFL scouts are starting to take him seriously.

In terms of skill set, Robertson bears a striking resemblance to Ward: Not a true read option blazing dual-threat option, but a functional athlete with plus-arm talent, comfort outside the pocket, and subtle athleticism that shows when structure breaks down. As McShay pointed out, he actually throws better on the move — especially rolling to his left — and he’s developed a calm suddenness that separates system QBs from NFL prospects.

Now, can he be this calm? Still remains to be seen. 

So what does Robertson need to do to take the next step? It starts with consistency. The physical tools are there. The flashes are on tape. But to follow the Ward arc, Robertson needs big performances in big moments, similar to Ward’s Week 1 statement last year, on ABC vs. in-state rival Florida.

Outdueling former 5-star Jackson Arnold would go a long way in Week 1, especially the first Friday night of the college football season, where most of the eyes will be on that nighttime Bears-Tigers matchup (that is, before the glorious slate we get the following day). After that, going up to Dallas and besting Kevin Jennings, Robertson’s prospective version of the Miami-Florida game, would continue to build momentum. And lastly, if Robertson were to round off Baylor’s non-conference schedule by dusting Arizona State and Sam Leavitt, a guy ranked higher than him on most NFL draft boards, Sawyer Robertson could become a household name before the end of September. 

Adding on to that, this year’s quarterback class crop is talented but far from solidified. Cade Klubnik has played a lot, been good not great, and has never truly lived up to his lofty 5-star expectations. Garrett Nussmeier is entering his fifth year with just one season of starting experience (the same as Robertson). Arch Manning remains more branding than quarterbacking at this point (but that last name, whew -- not a better brand you can have as a quarterback). Drew Allar has physical tools, but two years in and the returns have been more theoretical than tangible. As one AFC scout put it to ESPN’s Matt Miller, “If you want a dude that's going to come out of nowhere, it's [Robertson]. He's what everyone wants [Penn State's] Drew Allar to be.”

And it’s not just McShay echoing that sentiment. ESPN’s Jordan Reid labeled Robertson as part of his “best of the rest” group behind the top QBs. Meanwhile, Miller named Robertson his top sleeper QB in the 2026 draft class in a recent article.

All that to say: while the buzz is still quiet, Robertson is starting to break the surface. He doesn’t need to win a Heisman or have a cool celebration like Ward to make the leap (although both of those would help). If he can lead Baylor to 8 or 9 wins, take care of the ball while showing refined downfield touch, and prove he can elevate the pieces around him, the Cam Ward comparison may go from hypothetical to prophetic.

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Josh Crawford
JOSH CRAWFORD

Josh began covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Before this, he previously wrote for Syracuse men's basketball and football at SI from 2022-24. As a former Division I defensive lineman at Prairie View, Josh is passionate about storytelling from a former athlete's perspective. When he's not covering Baylor, he enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts and music, and loves cooking a good meal.

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