Miami quarterback Cameron Ward is well on his way to cementing himself as a first-rounder in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Miami Hurricanes were in dire straits following the 2023 season. A lackluster 7-6 campaign, plagued by an uninspiring offense, left head coach Mario Cristobal looking for answers. Cristobal turned to the transfer portal. Incumbent, and much maligned, starter Tyler Van Dyke was headed to Wisconsin and the ‘Canes were searching the portal for their next signal caller. The portal was chock-full of experienced starters such as Riley Leonard, Sam McCall, and DJ Uiagalelei. Miami set their sights on Washington State’s Cameron Ward. The process was far from simple. Ward took longer than most to make a decision and even released a video declaring for the 2024 NFL Draft.
cameron ward. insane.
— kam (@kamishlangston) September 22, 2024
Ultimately, Ward ended up in Coral Gables and it was time to deliver. The experienced signal caller brought some titanic expectations with him. This is not the first time he has hit the transfer portal. Ward originally played at FCS Incarnate Word, where he was stellar. He took his talents to Pullman and led some exciting offenses for the Washington State Cougars. Ward was by far the biggest prize in the portal. With him, Miami brought in some other pieces for their offense. Damien Martinez was a late transfer from Oregon State who was one of the best running backs in the country in 2023. Sam Brown, a skyscraping receiver from Houston, signed with the Hurricanes to give Ward another weapon. This once-powerhouse program was suddenly ready to roll again.
Brightest lights
The expectations for Miami were high and the hype train was full-steam ahead all off-season. They had an opportunity to add even more fuel to the fire immediately. The Hurricanes were set to play the biggest game of week one. Miami was heading North to Gainesville to play a struggling Florida Gators program. Were these Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators? No, they’re Billy Napier’s Gators, but the stage was still set for an immensely important game for the trajectory of the Miami program. With the entire nation watching; Cameron Ward stepped into the Swamp and made it his. After shrugging off an early interception, Ward was lights out and woke up the entire college football world.
Miami cruised to a 41-17 victory, but the final score was far from the most important aspect of this game. The Hurricanes were dominant and so was Cameron Ward. He finished the day 26/35 for 385 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. For the first time since 2021, Miami had an explosive and efficient offense. Ward put all of the traits on display that made him attractive in the first place. His arm is lively, the mobility was there, and he was incredibly accurate. On top of all that, his pocket presence and poise in the face of pressure was that of an NFL quarterback. He was as good as it gets in the opening game of the 2024 season.
Dominant stretch
In the following stretch of games against FAMU, Ball State, and South Florida; Ward has been piling up stats and putting all of his talent on display. Miami has outscored those three opponents 168-24. Cameron Ward has shot up the Heisman trophy betting odds and emerged as one of the very best players in the nation. As the NFL season marches on and mock drafts are released; Ward finds himself squarely in the first round. As the Hurricanes open conference play this weekend, continuing this level of play will not only have Ward going in round one, but it may have him as a candidate for the number one overall pick. The Hurricanes will play in several more high-stakes games this season. He will have ample opportunity to cement himself as one of the top quarterbacks in this draft.
Cam Ward through 4 games:
• 1,438 yards
• 14 TDs
• 2 INT
• 2 Turnover Worthy Plays
• Completion %: 70.4%
• PFF Pass grade: 92.5🫀 Resting heart rate: 55 bpm 🫢🫳 pic.twitter.com/2wQDKaIpGY
— Art (@canefilms) September 24, 2024
Ward has all the traits that NFL teams seek in a franchise quarterback. His arm is more than adequate and he throws a very accurate and catchable ball. He has also shown the ability to throw from multiple arm angles, which is immensely valuable on screens and throwing around crashing defensive linemen. His mobility is obvious and he has racked up several first downs as a runner. What stands out most however for Ward is how calm he appears in the pocket. Ward does not fear pressure and has shown the ability to stand in the pocket and deliver an accurate football. He will absolutely go in the first round if he continues to play this way.
Main Photo: [Nathan Ray Seebeck] – USA Today Sports
