ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released his first NFL Mock Draft for 2025. A surprising name is at the top.
Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward enjoyed a great season in in Florida this year. After his successes, Kiper has seen enough apparently. In his first mock draft published this year, Kiper Jr. named the Miami quarterback the top selection in the 2025 NFL Draft.
In that case, Ward would go to the Tennessee Titans.
Kiper Jr.’s mock draft will get plenty of attention as the day goes on. Ward being the top choice is a bit of a surprise considering the host of talented players at the top of this year’s draft.
Given rumors that Deion Sanders may force his son Shedeur Sanders somewhere, it might make sense that the Colorado quarterback isn’t projected as this year’s top pick. He’s very talented, but other environmental factors may put him elsewhere.
Ward as Miami’s top pick would be a major coup for him and the Hurricanes program. While Miami has had plenty of success in its history, they’ve been chasing those dragons lately. And in the NFL Draft, they’re not nearly as prominent a name as they were.
And even when they were, No. 1 picks remained rare. If Ward did get selected first overall this spring, he’d join an exclusive group. The only Canes to ever go first overall were Vinny Testaverde and Russell Maryland in 1987 and 1991 respectively.
The 2025 NFL Draft will begin on April 24, 2025, live from Green Bay, Wisconsin, for the very first time.
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022