For many New York Giants fans, landing Miami QB Cam Ward in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft would be a dream come true. Ward is the consensus No. 1 quarterback in this draft class and the quarterback-needy Giants are intent on finding their next franchise signal-caller this offseason.
As the Giants contemplate whether or not they want to sacrifice additional draft capital to trade up and take Ward first overall, the Miami quarterback recently issued a warning to teams that might pass up on him in the draft.
Cam Ward warns NFL teams against passing him over in the 2025 NFL Draft
While speaking with the media on Monday night before receiving the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top college quarterback, Ward responded to criticism he received for sitting out the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl in December. Ward received criticism for this decision, despite it being an exhibition game, as Miami wound up losing 42–41 to Iowa State.
According to the Associated Press, Ward had the following to say when asked if he was worried about teams choosing not to draft him over the controversial decision not to play in that second half:
“Okay, you’re either going to draft me or you’re not,” Ward said. “If you don’t draft me, that’s your fault. You’ve got to remember you’re the same team that’s got to play me for the rest of my career, and I’ll remember that.”
In the first half of that game, Ward competed, putting up 190 yards and a 3-0 TD-INT ratio with a 63.2% completion rate and 199.3 passer rating. However, some viewed his decision to sit the second half as Ward quitting on his team, even though it’s common for many top NFL prospects to sit the entirety of Bowl games and sometimes even playoff games.
Ward told the AP that the decision not to play in the second half of that bowl game was predetermined by him and the entire coaching staff:
“I just think we all got what we needed out of it. They seen things that they think they need to work on … for this season coming up. And they also knew, you know, what I had on the line,” Ward said. “We feel like we’re doing what’s best for the program and myself. I mean, it was a hard decision, especially when, you know, some guys on our team didn’t play who I thought should have played. It was also, you know, those guys thought about their future the same way I thought about mine.”
- Giants reportedly ‘comfortable’ taking the best player available, passing on QB with No. 3 pick
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The Giants could make Ward their top target in this year’s draft
Ward is the consensus top quarterback in this draft class and could very well be the No. 1 overall pick in April. The quarterback-needy Tennessee Titans hold the first-overall pick in the draft and could take Ward with the selection. However, the Titans have also expressed a willingness to trade down. Some rumors and reports indicate that they might opt to go the route of signing a veteran quarterback for the 2025 season and use the draft to address other needs.
The Giants, meanwhile, have a general manager in Joe Schoen who loves to make trades, pulling off blockbuster trades in back-to-back offseasons (Darren Waller in 2023 and Brian Burns in 2024). He has also prominently traded up in the draft twice before (for Deonte Banks in the first round and for Jalin Hyatt in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft).
Reports indicate that Schoen has made it clear around the league that he is on the hunt for a franchise quarterback. He attempted to trade up in last year’s draft to take a quarterback but was unable to convince the teams in front of the Giants to pass on any of the top prospects. This offseason, he might run into the same problem. However, if he views Ward as the Giants’ ideal next franchise quarterback, he will try to land the Heisman Trophy finalist.
- Giants reportedly ‘comfortable’ taking the best player available, passing on QB with No. 3 pick
- Giants could snipe all-effort running back in the mid-rounds
- Giants may have a chance to draft All-Pro caliber pass-rush prospect
Ward is not the only prolific quarterback prospect to issue warnings to franchises that might pass on him. NFL Hall of Famer Peyton Manning did something similar prior to the 1998 NFL Draft, telling then-Indianapolis Colts general manager Bill Polian, “Pick me or else.”
Whoever drafts Ward will hope and pray that he goes on to have similar success to the aforementioned Manning, who many regard as one of the greatest players to ever compete in the NFL. The Giants, in desperate need of a franchise quarterback, will continue doing their due diligence on Ward as they contemplate whether or not he is their top-ranked quarterback in this draft class.
