I have come full circle when it comes to Cam ward. I may have questioned if he had it in him to lead a bad franchise like the Tennessee Titans to the promised land, or to relevancy for that matter, coming out of Miami. However, I think he has a chance to really blossom playing for second-year head coach Brian Callahan. Tennessee might be dysfunctional, but so is the entire AFC South for the most part.
In the wake of last year's starting quarterback Will Levis electing to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, the sky is the limit for the Heisman Trophy finalist coming out of The U. Ward does have an incredibly quick release and plays with a ton of confidence. He is of the same prototype that made players such as Joe Burrow and Deshaun Watson such promising prospects coming out years prior.
So what I wanted to do today is to see how the news of Levis' surgery may inadvertently impact the hierarchy of the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year race. Ward was always going to be at or near the top of the list, but he does have a few competitors early on to keep close tabs on. Since I follow college football quite closely, maybe my insight could help you understand these rookies better?
Let's start with a transformative wide receiver who was always able to get his in a tough situation.
5. Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan
Outside of the Jacksonville Jaguars trading up to No. 2 in a deal with the Cleveland Browns to take Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter out of Colorado, the Carolina Panthers taking Tetairoa McMillan out of Arizona at No. 8 caught me so off-guard in the early part of the 2025 NFL Draft. McMillan was phenomenal in a tough place to play at Arizona. Despite a coaching change, he continued to thrive.
While I think Carolina should have taken Salisbury, North Carolina native Jalon Walker out of Georgia at No. 8 instead of letting him fall to the rival Atlanta Falcons at No. 8, McMillan has a chance to raise Bryce Young's game considerably. He is the next great wide receiver to come to the NFC South. Drake London is arriving, and I expect McMillan will do the same in Charlotte over the next three years, too.
I love Dave Canales as the Panthers' head coach, but they are a year away from being a real threat.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter
Travis Hunter may have won the Heisman Trophy at Colorado last season, but do you really expect for the Jacksonville Jaguars to get the most out of his one-of-a-kind talent? I think James Gladstone, Liam Coen and Tony Boselli bit off more than they can chew with Hunter. That being said, I do think he will get his numbers as part of an ensemble cast at wide receiver in Jacksonville. It will not be enough.
It is really going to come down to if Trevor Lawrence can finally be a dude or not. Again, because wide receiver is a such a quarterback-dependent position, I have a hard time thinking one will win NFL Rookie of the Year in most seasons. The other thing is Hunter does plan to play both ways. This could help his case to win either top rookie honor, or potentially derail him from being able to win either one.
I wish Hunter would have gone to a better franchise that could get the most out of his unique talents.
3. Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty
Ashton Jeanty set the college football world on fire during his final season at Boise State. The Broncos won the Mountain West and the Group of Five, allowing them to be seeded as the No. 3 team in the expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff. He may have put up tremendous numbers playing at the Group of Five, but he is going to a great spot for him when it comes to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Pete Carroll might be in his mid-70s, but the former long-time head coach of the Seattle Seahawks is a defensive-minded one who loves to run the football a ton. Bringing in former Ohio State offensive coordinator and UCLA head coach Chip Kelly almost certainly guarantees Jeanty will get his touches, as he loves to run the ball, too. My huge concern is I am not sure the Raiders will win enough this year.
If the Silver and Black do not finish in the cellar of the deep AFC West, he may win Rookie of the Year.
2. Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton
I cannot say enough good things about Omarion Hampton going to the Los Angeles Chargers at No. 22 overall. The fact the Denver Broncos passed on him at No. 20 could come back to haunt them. While I do not have the Bolts back in the playoffs, mostly because Justin Herbert needs to actually do something, Hampton could be the player to help Los Angeles sustain success in the deep AFC West.
Hampton was a mega running back talent playing in a challenging spot at North Carolina. His time in Chapel Hill coincided with the Tar Heels' decline under Mack Brown. Since the Chargers should have one of the better offensive lines in the NFL, I would be stunned if this guy did not have well over 1,000 rushing yards as a rookie. Jim Harbaugh might be a former quarterback, but he loves to run the ball.
The only thing holding Hampton back from winning NFL Rookie of the Year is he is not a quarterback.
1. Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward
It has to be Cam Ward, right? Outside of maybe Tyler Shough in New Orleans, Ward is the only rookie quarterback who I feel incredibly confident could start all 17 games this season under center for his team. Although the Tennessee Titans have been exceptionally screwy ever since the A.J. Brown debacle of a trade, I do think Ward can have a ton of success playing for Brian Callahan in Nashville.
Keep in mind that Ward's NFL prototype is that of Joe Burrow, whose former offensive coordinator of the Cincinnati Bengals just so happens to be his head coach in Tennessee in Callahan. With relatively low expectations, I would not be surprised if the Titans are the most likely team to go worst-to-first in the NFL this season. It may be Houston's division to lose, but I could see Tennessee surprising folks.
Ward will be a lock to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year if he has the Titans vying for the playoffs.