Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) warms up prior to the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Camping World Stadium. Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Cam Ward vs. 2024 Quarterback Class: Where Would He Rank in the 2024 Draft?

Originally posted on Miami Hurricanes on SI
By Mark Morales-Smith | Last updated Mar 18, 2025 2:40 PM ET

Now former University of Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward is the top-ranked quarterback prospect heading into the 2025 NFL Draft and the game between him and the rest of the field only seems to be growing. However, we want to take a look at where he would rank amongst quarterbacks in other recent classes starting with last year's stacked class of quarterbacks. I will discuss both where he ranks amongst the consensus and where I would have ranked him personally based on how I graded him and the other QBs.

"It certainly seems like there's a mounting consensus that Cam Ward is going to be the No. 1 pick."

Based off what @AdamSchefter is hearing, even if the Titans trade back, Cam Ward will be the No. 1 pick pic.twitter.com/dC1dZM7KsR
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 17, 2025

2024 Pre-Draft Consensus Rookie QB Rankings

1. Caleb Williams

2. Jayden Daniels

3. Drake Maye

4. JJ McCarthy

5. Michael Penix

6. Bo Nix

Amongst last year's class, I believe Cam Ward would have been the QB3 amongst the consensus opinion and draft order. Williams and Daniels still would have been ranked and picked before him. The reason he slots in before Drake Maye is because Ward is much closer to a finished product and more NFL ready while Maye was viewed as a high-upside project being drafted more off of potential physical gifts than actual QB skills.

My 2024 Rookie QB Rankings

1. Jayden Daniels

2. Caleb Williams

3. Drake Maye

4. Michael Penix

5. JJ McCarthy

6. Bo Nix

The way I graded Ward, he would be the QB2 in the 2024 draft class behind only Jayden Daniels. I believe he is a better prospect than Williams was, but Daniels I viewed as a potential generational quarterback. Daniels and Williams were my only locked-in no-doubt top-10 picks with Maye and Penix being first-rounders but not quite as high. McCarthy and Nix did not have first-round grades. However, Ward most certainly does and should have been ranked as the second-overall pick behind Daniels if he were in the 2024 NFL Draft class.

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This article first appeared on Miami Hurricanes on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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