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Possible No. 1 Pick Compared to Caleb Williams Ahead of 2025 NFL Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Brendan Howe | Last updated Apr 2, 2025 4:56 PM ET

Cam Ward believes he should be the No. 1 overall choice in this month's 2025 NFL Draft. With the Miami Hurricanes last season, he became the all-time Division leader in combined touchdowns. Ward has been compared to Patrick Mahomes, but NFL Media analyst Charles Davis tempered expectations by giving him a different juxtaposition — former USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Wiliams.

Davis had the Tennessee Titans selecting Ward at the top of the draft in his latest mock-up. The passer's improvisational skills factor in.

"At no place has he not made those types of plays," Davis said Tuesday during an appearance on NFL Spotlight with Ari Meirov. "But, for me, I'm looking at him and watching, 'Okay, there were those out-of-structure plays because of the superiority of what that person feels about their game.' His arm, his ability to stay out of trouble to keep the play extended, keep it alive, and then, of course, the payoff on the other end.

"Aaron Rodgers ... he's not throwing the ball for a five-yard checkdown if he got out of the pocket and extended the play. He's throwing to kill downfield, right? So, I looked at that and had been watching Cam Ward, and you know who I came up with for that? Was Caleb Williams coming out of USC."

Williams lengthened plenty of plays for the Trojans, earning a Heisman Trophy in 2022. After being taken No. 1 overall by the Chicago Bears in last year's draft, Williams was sacked 68 times, more than any other NFL signal-caller.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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