NFL GM takes Cam Ward disrespect to another level, but does he have a point?

The Tennessee Titans are widely expected to select Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday's 2025 NFL Draft.

It has been trending in this direction for weeks.

"After months of speculation, the consensus around the league is that the Titans will stay at No. 1 and pick, rather than trade, sources say," writes NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Tennessee fielded trade offers and rebuffed them all. The Titans are looking to take a major step forward in Brian Callahan's second season as head coach. We know the benefits of pairing Callahan with an uber-talented quarterback; just look back to his success with Joe Burrow in Cincinnati.

Ward has steadily locked up the QB1 label in a wide-open draft class. Shedeur Sanders was pegged as a peer early in the pre-draft process, but Ward quickly put himself in a different stratum. Whereas Sanders might tumble into the 20s, Ward appears destined for the honors (and pressure) inherent to a No. 1 overall selection.

While the Titans are plainly confident in Ward's NFL projection, not every fan, scout, or even front office shares their view. This is considered a weak, balanced draft class, especially at quarterback. At least one team doesn't have a first-round grade on a single QB, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

One NFL GM took it a step further.

NFL GM says Cam Ward would've been seventh-ranked quarterback in 2024 NFL Draft

"At least one team does not have a first-round grade on any of the quarterbacks in this draft," Schefter writes. "The general manager of another team said there are 'no surefire quarterback solutions' and the top-rated passer in this class -- Ward -- would be the seventh-rated passer in last year's class. 'And I don't think it's close,' he added. Some teams and prognosticators have predicted four quarterbacks to go in Round 1, but there are smart people around the league who believe there might only be one or two who go in the top 32 picks."

This is certainly a bold statement, and it's another chip on the shoulder of Ward. The Miami quarterback has handled constant criticism and nitpicking with an appropriate level of self-confidence. He clearly believes he is the best QB in the draft and he has been planting the seeds of a Titans partnership for weeks.

That said, this anonymous NFL GM probably has a point. This quarterback class has left QB-needy teams with a conundrum. We know the Browns (No. 2 pick) and the Giants (No. 3 pick) both need signal-callers, but neither team is expected to reach for Shedeur Sanders or Jaxson Dart with their first-round selections. The reason is simple; they aren't good enough. It's why both teams hammered the free agent market, signing Joe Flacco and Russell Wilson, respectively.

Ward is probably the best quarterback prospect. He fits modern trends at the position, offering mobility outside the pocket and major arm talent. In terms of ceiling, sure, Ward is worthy of a No. 1 pick. But, as FanSided's Colton Edwards points out, Ward "also has one of the lowest floors" in this QB class.

"He is a true gunslinger, willing to target all levels of the field, but this freewheeling style can lead to turnovers."

Ward threw for 4,313 yards and an ACC-best 39 touchdowns in his lone season at Miami, but he also coughed up seven interceptions. A former zero-star recruit who spent two years at Incarnate World and two years at Washington State, Ward took an unconventional path to college football stardom (and eventually the NFL Draft). It's a credit to his work ethic and constant growth, but it also means he has limited experience against top-shelf competition compared to some of his peers. The ACC wasn't exactly full of stingy defenses this season either.

The 2024 draft was historically loaded at quarterback. Six went off the board in the top 12, a league record. Take a quick glance at those names — Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, J.J. McCarthy — and it's difficult to disagree with this anonymous GM. Folks would most quibble most with Nix and McCarthy, who were flawed and much-maligned prospects. But, Nix was among the best rookies in the NFL last season and McCarthy seems destined for success in Minnesota. The bar is awfully high for Ward.

Expectations are a given for the No. 1 overall pick, whether you "deserve" them or not. If Ward struggles out of the gate in Nashville, expect the Titans front office to face significant criticism for going against the grain and drafting for need over talent.