Shedeur Sanders vs. Cam Ward shouldn't even be a debate for Tennessee Titans fans in 2025 NFL Draft

NASHVILLE – With a stroke of luck now positioning the Tennessee Titans to pick towards the top of the 2025 NFL Draft, the debate is already starting for which quarterback the team should select. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward and considered the top two QB talents in the upcoming draft class, but they […]

Sam Phalen
Add as preferred source on Google

NASHVILLE – With a stroke of luck now positioning the Tennessee Titans to pick towards the top of the 2025 NFL Draft, the debate is already starting for which quarterback the team should select.

Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward and considered the top two QB talents in the upcoming draft class, but they have two very different styles of play.

At the end of the day, I'm all in on Sanders becoming the Titans next franchise quarterback. And for Titans fans everywhere, I really don't think Sanders vs. Ward should be a debate by the time the draft gets here.

Cam Ward

There's a lot to like about Cam Ward's game. He's an athlete with ridiculous arm talent. He can throw off-platform, use his legs effectively, and takes command of his offense at the line of scrimmage. He's also experienced. Ward recently became the all-time leader in Division I career touchdown passes with 158 over five college seasons. 

But when you dive into Ward's weaknesses, it will probably feel all too familiar for Tennessee Titans fans. 

Ward has a hard time protecting the football. He has far too many turnover-worthy plays. Scouts like to say that he plays "hero ball," doesn't take what the defense gives him, and often makes decisions based on pre-determined pre-snap reads. Those are all the things Will Levis has struggled with through two years of his NFL career and things that plagued Levis a bit at Kentucky.

Levis, like Ward, is a really gifted athlete with an impressive arm. He regularly makes plays that get you on your feet, but there is not always the desired consistency you want from a franchise quarterback. 

Brian Callahan really values that consistency. He wants a quarterback that takes care of the football and most importantly, is an accurate passer. That's not Cam Ward.

Ward's weighted on-target throw percentage (used to judge how accurate college quarterbacks are) is in the same tier as collegiate Will Levis and Joe Milton.

Levis was at 56.16 coming out of Kentucky and Milton was at 58.21 when he left Tennessee. Ward is at 61.21, which is ages behind all of the talented quarterbacks from the 2024 draft class and most importantly, significantly worse than Shedeur Sanders, who is the best of the '25 class and better than everyone in the '24 class not named Jayden Daniels.

2024 NFL QB Draft Class (Weighted On-Target %)

Caleb Williams: 69.26

Jayden Daniels: 76.13

Drake Maye: 72.77

Michael Penix: 63.26

J.J. McCarthy: 66.83

Bo Nix: 70.49

***Shedeur Sanders: 73.26

***Cam Ward: 61.21

Shedeur Sanders

Now let's talk a little bit about Shedeur Sanders and why he's the quarterback that Titans fans should be clamoring for. 

He throws with great accuracy. He processes things quickly and picks apart defenses with post-snap recognition. He has the athleticism to extend plays with his feet. Sanders is a true and pure pocket passer with the ability to do it on the run if needed.

Brian Callahan loved how efficient and accurate Joe Burrow was with the Bengals and Sanders fits the that mold really nicely at the next level. Sanders led all led FBS Division-I quarterbacks in completion percentage at 74 percent in 2024. 

In two years with the Buffaloes, Sanders' career completion percentage is 71.8 percent, which is an all-time record for an FBS Division-I career.

An easy NFL comp for Sanders can be made to Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. They are both high-floor quarterbacks with athleticism, but a play style that looks more like a traditional quarterback than a dual-threat.

This is the guy for the Titans to build around. I also like to think of Sanders' "star power" as a pro instead of a con. Some people may be worried about the noise that could follow him to his NFL home (in the form of Deion), but I love the idea of Tennessee becoming must-watch TV and taking center stage in the NFL. I don't think Amy Adams Strunk would mind that either.

Related Articles