The Tennessee Titans’ selection of Cam Ward with the 2025 NFL Draft’s top pick thrilled their fans. Ward, who holds the NCAA D-1 record for touchdown passes (156), offers a tremendous ceiling. Analysts aplenty have compared his upside to that of Patrick Mahomes. Those bold claims, popularized over the last year, may have spawned from former NFL evaluator Daniel Kelly.
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Kelly, once a New York Jets scout, took to Twitter/X on Sunday afternoon to express his affinity for Ward’s future. He waxed poetic about Ward, saying he “maintained a 1st Round Grade on Ward for his last three college seasons.”
Kelly said Ward’s showings at his biggest colleges brought two players to his mind. One, of course, was Mahomes. The second? Mahomes’ most recent Super Bowl foe: Jalen Hurts.
“I think Titans fans have a lot to be excited about with Cam Ward… the first two seasons I studied him at Washington State, he reminded me of Jalen Hurts. Last season, he reminded me of Patrick Mahomes while playing for the Hurricanes,” he said.
I think Titans fans have a lot to be excited about with Cam Ward.
As a former NFL Scout, I maintained a 1st Round Grade on Ward for his last three college seasons —two at Washington State and one at the University of Miami.
The first two seasons I studied him at Washington… pic.twitter.com/7JCbusngXK
— FIRST ROUND MOCK (@firstroundmock) May 18, 2025
From there, Kelly essentially went all-in on Ward as a prospect. He listed a whopping 32 traits he believes Ward has that “translate to NFL success.” Then, he took a step beyond Mahomes when describing Ward’s moxie, linking it to the NBA’s biggest-ever star: Michael Jordan.
“I’ve rarely seen a quarterback or any player for that matter play with the level confidence Cam Ward showed early last season at Miami. Honestly, I haven’t seen any player in any sport play with that level of confidence since Michael Jordan.” – Daniel Kelly
You’d have to be crazy to not appreciate people showering you with kindness. It sure as heck beats the alternative. That said, there is an unhealthy level of admiration. And we may have reached that point regarding Ward.
Yes, Ward could become one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks. But Mahomes, among an incredible contingent of already-established NFL peers, is in his own class as a winner. He’s a three-time Super Bowl champion entering his age-30 season. The other signal-callers at his level from a performance standpoint – Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow – have made one combined Super Bowl appearance.
It’s important to note that most of the comps of Ward to Mahomes center onthe ceiling. But we heard the same thing about Caleb Williams, a “generational” prospect. Trevor Lawrence was also a “generational” prospect. How have they looked so far?
We know most scouts think Ward would have ranked fourth or fifth in last year’s QB class. Now, one draft cycle later, he’s being shopped as a future Mahomes. Promoting someone who was perceived as equal to Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy just one season ago to this new, enhanced degree feels a bit ludicrous.
To be clear, none of this is Ward’s fault. The only thing he did was play well in college; that’s not a crime. He can’t control how people react to and ultimately gauge his tape. But raising the world’s collective expectations like the scouting community has this offseason does him no favors if he doesn’t reach his projected ceiling.
