
Who will the Tennessee Titans select with the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft? Recently, Titans team president Chad Brinker said the team wouldn’t pass up on a “generational talent.” Many thought that meant he was talking about Heisman-winning wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter. But not so fast.
Based on the early returns from this week’s Shrine Bowl, that generational talent may be University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward.
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Tennessee Titans expected to make Cam Ward No. 1 pick in 2025 NFL Draft

Sportskeeda’s NFL insider Tony Pauline is on the scene for this week’s Shrine Bowl, as he is every year. They just wrapped up Day 2 of practices, and some players have already made a strong impression.
One of them is Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward, who’s widely projected to be a top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Yet, with the Tennessee Titans selecting first and in need of a quarterback upgrade, Ward might not make it to the Cleveland Browns, who have the second pick in the first round.
In fact, based on what Pauline has seen and heard, Ward will be the first player drafted when the NFL Draft kicks off in April.
“The overwhelming belief here at Shrine practice is that Cam Ward will be the first quarterback selected in the 2025 NFL Draft over Shedeur Sanders. Taking it one step further, people believe if the draft were held today, Ward would be selected by the Tennessee Titans with the first pick of the draft.”
Pauline on Ward
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Many analysts project only two quarterbacks to be selected in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. If Ward goes first overall, would the Browns then take Sanders with the second pick? Doing so would leave several other QB-needy teams scrambling to find a solution.
As to Ward and the Titans, he’d presumably enter a QB competition with Will Levis, but it’s likely only a matter of time before the projected first overall pick earns the starting nod in Tennessee.