By Thomas Kelly
Cam Ward was just another high school quarterback in Texas with zero stars and zero interest from any major colleges. After finishing his senior season at Columbia High school in Texas he had only received two offers to be a quarterback for a college team. The first came from Texas Southern which was then followed by Incarnate Word, both teams play at the FCS level. Ward would commit to Incarnate Word five days after he received the official offer and would enrol at the school in San Antonio in June of 2020.
A zero-star recruit playing at a private Catholic school at the FCS level Ward’s chances of being drafted to the NFL, let alone being the first player off the board, were looking slim. However, when Ward arrived on campus, he got to work instantly becoming the UIW starter in his freshman season and lead the Cardinals to a 3-3 record throwing for 24 touchdowns and over 2,000 yards in a shortened covid season. Incarnate Word offensive co-ordinator Cody Crill recalls Cam Ward’s attitude when he arrived on campus, “Cam was pretty quiet, but you could definitely see there was a fire in him. He knew people were overlooking him, but instead of whining about it, he just put in the work. He was always the first one to show up at the facility and the last one to leave. He wanted to prove he was meant to be there, and he started doing that from day one. Even as a freshman, he wasn’t shy about taking charge of the offence.”
Ward’s dominant collegiate career
Ward would go on to dominate in his second season at UIW, throwing 47 touchdowns and over 4,600 yards, which put him firmly in the window for a transfer to an FCS team. Coach Crill knew that Ward wouldn’t stay at UIW for much longer, “During his sophomore season, we were up against Nicholls State, and their defence was tough and super aggressive. Cam took a few hard hits early on, and I was thinking, let’s see how he handles this. But he just kept standing tall in the pocket, making throws and adjusting protections like a pro. That was the moment I realised he wasn’t just talented; he was definitely ready for the next level.”
Ward would enter the transfer portal after his sophomore year and would choose to follow his head coach who became the offensive coordinator at Washington State. Ward played two impressive years at Wazzu, leading the Cougars in their last two seasons of PAC-12 play. Ward originally declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, but after feedback that he would be a mid-round pick he decided to play one final season of college football and transferred to the University of Miami.
Cam Ward’s final season of college football would really change his draft stock. When he arrived at the University of Miami, he became the leader of that team instantly, and he dominated. Ward led Miami to a 10-3 record and was a Heisman trophy finalist and was rising rapidly up NFL teams’ draft boards.
NFL analyst Connor Rogers believes that Ward was fully deserving of the number one overall selection, “Cam Ward really stands out with his physical skills — he’s got the arm, the creativity, and the knack for making plays happen. But what really makes him special is how much he’s grown. Look at his journey: he started as a zero-star recruit and got overlooked, yet he developed into a solid quarterback. Teams love that kind of story. They’re all in on his work ethic, resilience, and potential. You’re betting on his natural talent, dedication, and passion for the game. Cam’s got all that. Some quarterbacks hit a wall early on, but he’s just getting started. When you find a guy who’s both talented and has the right mindset? You don’t think twice about taking him.”
Ward was written off early on, but his fightback is what the Tennessee Titans fell in love with: his mentality and drive are just above the level of other kids at that level. Cam Ward’s rise is an incredible story but he’s certainly not done yet. He enters the league with big expectations the Titans are counting on him to become a player who the franchise can rely on. To get a idea of the level of talent expected from Ward, hall of fame quarterback Warren Moon chose to unretire the number one to let Ward wear it on the Titans.
The expectations are higher than ever for Cam Ward but if we learn anything from his incredible rise its that he can deal with almost anything and will give his in all in the quest to be an NFL star.
Thomas Kelly 2025
