Cam Ward NFL Draft Scouting Report & Fantasy Football Outlook

Cam Ward enters the 2025 NFL Draft as one of the most polished and productive quarterbacks in the class, boasting over 11,000 passing yards and 87 touchdowns across stops at Incarnate Word, Washington State, and Miami. With a strong arm, quick decision-making, and the ability to extend plays, Ward profiles as a pro-ready signal-caller who could hear his name called first overall.

Cam Ward Fantasy Football Outlook

Over his three seasons in college, Ward played in 38 games between Washington State and the University of Miami. He completed 66.0% of his 1,436 pass attempts for 11,281 yards with 87 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. His highlight year came in 2024 when he threw for 4,313 yards with 39 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions. He gained an impressive 9.5 yards per pass attempt.

As a runner, Ward made more significant plays last season (3.4 YPR), but he carried the ball only 60 times for 204 yards and four touchdowns. With Washington State, his opportunity to run was much higher (227/202/13) with minimal gains per carry (0.9 yards). Sacks (46 and 38) were more of an issue with the Cougars than with the Hurricanes (22).

His college career started at the University of the Incarnate Word (Division I), where Ward made 19 starts over two seasons. His success in 2021, with a 10-3 record and completing 384 of his 590 passes for 4,648 yards, 47 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, led to his recruitment by Washington State. He gained only 67 yards rushing with three touchdowns over his 112 carries at UIW.

Cam Ward Wazzu highlights cuz why not. pic.twitter.com/XqIUuKYNGU
— College Football Alerts  (@CFBAlerts_) March 30, 2025

Ward plays with eyes up pre- and post-snap. His goal is to get the ball out quickly and take home run swings when given one-on-one coverage downfield. His arm is NFL-ready, and he has a good sense of where he wants to throw the football before taking the snap.

Pro defenses will force him to make more throws on the run going to his left, where his accuracy will regress if Ward can’t square up and set his feet. He played out of the shotgun on most plays, showcasing the ability to extend the pocket either with his feet or by breaking through some tackles.

His challenge at the next level will be a weaker offensive line and a downgrade in receiving personnel. Additionally, defensive coordinators will make him think more when reading coverages, and his passing windows will be significantly smaller in the pros.

Ward can move the chains with his feet, but he is a throw-first quarterback. The next step in his development is finishing drives with passing touchdowns in the red zone.

The Titans and Browns have the first two picks in their year’s NFL draft. I see flashes of Steve McNair in Ward’s setup and release, which points to him being the first overall selection. I expect him to start in game one of his rookie campaign. Cleveland and the New York Giants have better receiving options than Tennessee, which would give Ward a better starting point for his pro career.