The Tennessee Titans are continuing to assess their options with the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but all signs point to them selecting Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward. If their actions truly indicate their commitment to Ward, the organization may already be preparing for his future with the team.
Tennessee’s general manager and coaching staff have spent significant time with Ward, including attending Miami’s Pro Day, completing a pre-draft visit, and reportedly scheduling a private workout. These interactions could be used not only to evaluate him further but also to understand which offensive schemes and play concepts he is most comfortable with.
Head coach Brian Callahan has repeatedly emphasized that his role is not to force a quarterback into a rigid system but rather to tailor the offense to maximize a quarterback’s strengths. When it comes to Ward, his strongest attributes are well-documented.
A recent analysis charting all of Ward’s passes in 2024 highlights what he excels at. His greatest strength is throwing to the intermediate and deep middle sections of the field. Ward is an aggressive passer who is willing to take risks, regularly targeting tight windows with throws to routes such as digs, seams, benders, and posts. His precision in these areas is particularly impressive, with a 74.1% accuracy rate on passes between 11-20 yards over the middle and a 71.4% accuracy rate on deep throws in the same region. These numbers reflect the tendencies of elite NFL quarterbacks, and Ward has the arm talent to execute such throws consistently.
Additionally, Ward demonstrates a high level of accuracy when throwing into tight coverage. His accuracy rate in those situations is 48.4%, which, while just shy of elite, surpasses the figures posted by some of the top quarterbacks in the previous draft class.
However, one of Ward’s weaknesses is his performance on deep throws outside the numbers. While this is an area of concern, it also provides clarity for Callahan in terms of play design. For example, when the Titans incorporate play-action passes into their offense, they can structure the route concepts in a way that emphasizes Ward’s strengths—such as positioning receivers like Calvin Ridley on routes that bring them to the middle of the field instead of deep routes along the boundary.
This also means the Titans must ensure they have enough playmakers who can create separation in the middle of the field. Players like Chigoziem Okonkwo and Ridley showed their effectiveness in that area last season, but adding another receiver with similar skills—potentially someone like Xavier Restrepo later in the draft—could further enhance Ward’s ability to operate efficiently.
With the Titans seemingly locked in on Ward as their future quarterback, they have the advantage of knowing their pick well in advance. This allows them to use the time leading up to the draft to identify additional talent that complements Ward’s style of play. The priority for the 2025 season should be his development, and making roster moves tailored to his strengths could be more valuable than maintaining secrecy about their draft plans.