High School

Former Texas high School Football Star Cam Ward Signs His First NFL Contract

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft is ready to make his mark with the Tennessee Titans

Caleb Sisk

May 10, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) talks with reporters after his first day of rookie mini camp at Saint Thomas Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
May 10, 2025; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) talks with reporters after his first day of rookie mini camp at Saint Thomas Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

The Tennessee Titans had one of their worst seasons, in 2024, since moving from Houston to Nashville, which was enough to land them the first pick in the NFL Draft. The Titans desperately needed a quarterback with Will Levis struggling in his second season, and the team never committing to Mason Rudolph in a long-term deal, as he also had an underwhelming season.

The Titans made an executive decision to commit to selecting Cam Ward in the first round with the first pick, as Ward finished his college career at the University of Miami. Ward finished as a Heisman finalist in the 2024 season, placing behind Travis Hunter from Colorado. He was also the winner of the Manning Award and the Davey O'Brien Award. Ward finished his season leading the Hurricanes to a 10-3 season after throwing for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns, and a completion percentage of 67.2%.

Ward was also good in high school as he played at Columbia High School in Columbia, Texas. He graduated unranked and would attend FCS Incarnate Word after finishing his career with 11 rushing touchdowns, 17 passing touchdowns, over 2,000 yards, and throwing 10 interceptions. He was also named to First Team All-District, First Team All-Southern in Brazoria County, and All-State honorable mention. Ward was also a great basketball player, winning two MVP awards and securing the all-time scoring leader position in his school's program.

Ward made his way to Tennessee and has already started to separate himself from the competition, which landed him a huge contract. Ward signed a four-year deal that guarantees him $48.7M and a fifth-year option. Ward has been known to be a workhorse, supplying Titans' fans with a quote that should fire them up. "It's a blessing," Ward said to tennesseetitans.com's Jim Wyatt after signing the deal. "I'm ready to get to work."

Ward will have the chance to do many things that are worth noting. This includes showing players that taking a smaller route of college can still pay off, as he made his way from Incarnate Word to Washington State, and then to Miami, where he would later be deemed the first pick in the NFL Draft. He can also break the barrier that has stopped many Titans' QBs along their NFL career, as the Titans have had very lackluster QB play. The Titans will likely get one of their better QBs in Ward as he looks to do exactly what guys like Marcus Mariota, Levis, Jake Locker, and company were unable to do.

The season is set to begin in September, however, fans can expect to get their first look of Ward in a Titans' uniform when they take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (pre-season) in his former home state of Florida. That game will be held on August 9th, which is only around a month before the season begins.

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Caleb Sisk
CALEB SISK

Caleb Sisk is a talented sports journalist from the state of Georgia. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sisk's passion for sports grew. Bringing years of recruiting coverage experience, he has been named a National Recruiting Reporter and covers various college sites on the On SI network. He takes pride in covering recruiting and has been featured by numerous companies for his excellent coverage and knowledge. He has also spent time at other companies, including Rivals, where he covered the Tennessee Volunteers.

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