Both Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward can elevate the Titans to an NFL Playoff team
Don’t call it a comeback
INDIANAPOLIS — Quarterbacks Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward project as first-round picks in the upcoming NFL Draft. If either player were drafted with the No. 1 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans, it could immediately propel them back to playoff contention.
So says CBS Sports draft analyst Emory Hunt, at any case.
Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are being slept on
Hunt believes the narratives floating around Sanders and Ward's respective ceilings and weaknesses to be deeply flawed.
"When folks don't like the two guys at the top, we'll start to hear 'This (quarterback) class is trash," Hunt said at the NFL Scouting Combine on The Buck Reising Show. "'2026 or the following year will be better', but history repeats itself. We just ignore it. They said the same thing about the class with Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes. I told people then, 'This (2017) class is good, don't bypass this."
A strong statement, indeed.
Ward's 158 career touchdown passes across five college seasons at Incarnate Word (2), Washington State (2) and Miami (1) broke the NCAA record. Sanders helped elevate both Jackson State's and Colorado's programs from irrelevancy to double-digit wins (Jackson State) and bowl eligibility (Colorado) in his two years at each. Neither are perfect prospects.
In the NFL draft process, however, perfection does not exist.
Sanders or Ward could elevate the Titans to playoff contention
Tennessee is picking No. 1 overall for a season.
Under first year head coach Brian Callahan, the team failed miserably en route to a league-worst record of 3-14. 34 total turnovers largely contributed to the Titans futility in 2024. Inconsistencies from quarterback Will Levis to the tune of 18 individual giveaways in 12 games played poured fuel on flame.
Hunt believes that Tennessee has the right pieces in place to benefit from the tools that either Ward or Sander bring to the table.
"We know football is not about one guy, but at times it can be about one guy" said Hunt. "We saw this with Washington (Commanders). I said this after Washington drafted Jayden Daniels, that this was a team that wasn't that far off. They could get to that sixth or seventh seed in the NFC and make the postseason, which sounds weird for a team that was picking second overall.
"I feel that way about Tennessee, because to me, Tennessee is one of those teams that still has a lot of talent individually. We know they were banged up on defense. We know they get some guys back healthy, and we know offensively speaking, they've got good backs, a good receiver that they could add more talent to that."
While I, personally, do not agree with Hunt's assessment of the Titans ceiling, I do understand his perspective.
Callahan and new general manager Mike Borgonzi have significant work to do to shore up the 2025 team. Personnel is still at the crux of the issue. With solid draft capital, about $42 million in effective cap space and a class that aligns well with their many needs, Tennessee expects to be meaningfully competitive.
Or else…
Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.
