In a relatively weak class, there are very few guarantees going into the 2025 NFL draft. It feels like a lock that Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter and Colorado dual-threat Travis Hunter will be top five selections. It really is anyone's guess who falls to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 12 overall.
As we inch closer to April, though, there is a consensus favorite to be the first player off the board: former Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward.
The Titans' full contingent was unsurprisingly present for Ward's pro day on Monday. The Heisman Trophy finalist was seen talking to Tennessee general manager Mike Borgozni and president of football operations Chad Brinker before the conclusion of his workout.
It could all be one big smokescreen, but this feels like the Titans' best chance to get their hands on a franchise quarterback to compete in a loaded AFC that features star QBs such as Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and C.J. Stroud.
How does this relate to the Cowboys? Well, it doesn't. They obviously aren't drafting him, but that didn't stop the young QB from taking a shot at Dallas' defensive scheme.
Likely No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward takes a needless shot at the Cowboys
Ward got into comparing the college game to the pros and noted that a lot of teams like to play safeties high some 20 yards down the field, which leaves the middle of the field wide open. That's when Dallas came up.
"Some teams in the NFL did a lot of two-high (safeties) stuff, like Dallas, going a lot of Tampa, a lot of Cover 2 and they leave way too much space on the sideline down the steams," Ward said, via NFL on CBS.
"Some teams in the NFL did a lot of two-high stuff, like Dallas ... They leave way too much space on the sideline down the seams."
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) March 25, 2025
Cam Ward when asked if there's anything that makes him nervous about making the transition to the NFL. pic.twitter.com/SOcdJ2JFt3
It's always the Cowboys catching strays.
Mike Zimmer's defense was nothing to write home about last season, but the group rallied big time over the second half of the schedule despite a rash of injuries to key players. There were many teams that had a worse pass defense than Dallas.
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While the Cowboys allowed the fifth-most net passing yards per attempt, they ranked 16th in total passing yards, allowed the ninth-most passing touchdowns and gave up the seventh-fewest first downs via the pass.
That doesn't nullify Ward's analysis, but it's a bid head-scratching the potential first overall pick only mentioned Dallas by name in that soundbite.
Donovan Wilson is not cut out to play as a deep-lying safety. Even ball-hawk Malik Hooker was caught out in coverage numerous times as the team's designated safety net. According to PFF, Wilson played 431 snaps as a free safety compared to 386 in the box, while Hooker played 691 snaps as a free safety compared to just 253 in the box.
It's clear Ward has done his homework. As cliché as it is that he took a shot at Dallas, hopefully last season served as a wake-up call to the front office that they need to get quicker in the defensive backfield, or just put players (like Wilson) in positions that best suit their skill sets.