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Cam Ward Drew Patrick Mahomes Comparisons Before Titans

The Tennessee Titans' No. 1 overall pick drew quite a comparison at his first collegiate stop.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Oct 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) warms up before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward (1) warms up before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

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Tennessee Titans

With just one college offer thrown his way, Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward knew he had no choice but to take it. On episode one of "Zero Star: The Cam Ward Story", Ward discussed what led him to Incarnate Word.

UIW isn't exactly the ideal destination for anyone, but Ward knew playing for an FCS school would be better than going the junior college route. He had his mind set on playing for JuCo, but a late offer helped Ward get back on track. The offense his high school ran certainly held him back, but he still drew quite the comparison while at UIW's camp.

Cam Ward Drew Patrick Mahomes Comparisons

The second Ward stepped on the field at UIW, coach Eric Morris knew he had something special. Morris played a huge role in shaping Ward to be the quarterback he is today, but right out of the gate he saw some crazy arm talent from the Columbia High Schooler.

"I walked down and Cam's taking a little three step drop as he warms up and the ball is just spinning out there like none other," Morris said. "The pop that he had, the rotation that he had it was something, when you see a talent like that, and I had been around Patrick Mahomes for the previous three or four years, so it's not like I didn't know it when I saw it."

Morris continued, "Right off the bat it jumps out and I'm following him around the rest of practice... I'll never forget the coaches looking at each other as Cam knocks out these three throws. Like, 'who the heck is this kid, why is he here and why did we not know about him?' The talent was there."

Game Recognizes Game

At the time, Morris had seen players like Baker Mayfield and David Webb, along with Mahomes. Looking at those three in particular, it's hard to argue that Ward won't be able to follow in their footsteps. Morris was never saying that Ward will one day have as many Super Bowls or MVPs as Mahomes, but he knew the talent was there and UIW was the only team to give him an opportunity.

When speaking with Ward's first quarterback coach, Steve Van Meter, he confirmed to Morris that they were getting a steal with Ward. One of the main focuses of the documentary was Ward running a Wing T offense in high school that prevented him from being himself.

His arm talent was there, but without the offer from UIW, no one was going to take a chance on this kid as he only threw 12 passes a game. NFL fans may not seem the comparison just yet, but Ward is set to be a key building block as the Titans continue to rebuild.

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.

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