Titans take QB Cam Ward No. 1 in NFL draft

The Associated Press

· Posted: Apr 25, 2025 8:44 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 minutes ago

After the Tennessee Titans tabbed Miami backmost Cam Ward arsenic the archetypal wide prime of the  NFL draught arsenic expected, the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up from No. 5 to drawback Colorado's two-way prima Travis Hunter with the 2nd pick.

In summation to the 2nd wide pick, which they utilized to prime the 2024 Heisman winner, the Jaguars besides received a fourth-round prime and sixth-round pick. The Browns received the No. 5 wide prime and selected Michigan antiaircraft tackle Mason Graham. Cleveland besides received second- and fourth-round picks this year, and a first-round prime successful 2026.

Titans wide manager Mike Borgonzi said the franchise was astir definite Ward would beryllium the prime earlier the NFL Scouting Combine successful February, adjacent earlier gathering the person, due to the fact that of what they saw from him arsenic a player.

"We beauteous overmuch had each the questions answered astir apt 3 weeks (before) the draft," helium said.

Ward passed for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns, some single-season schoolhouse records, past play astatine Miami, being named ACC Player of the Year. He began his collegiate vocation with 2 seasons astatine FCS Incarnate Word earlier transferring to Washington State, wherever helium played 2 much seasons, earlier his last play astatine Miami.

"I knew I was going to beryllium drafted beauteous high," Ward said. "I deliberation I'm 1 of the champion players successful this draft, I'm deserving of this honour. But astatine the extremity of the day, draught prime don't mean nothing. It's each astir however you nutrient connected the field, the benignant of teammate you are successful the locker room, and past it's astir wins."

Jacksonville was the astonishment mover, making the lone first-round commercialized successful the apical 20 nether the guidance of first-year wide manager James Gladstone. The 34-year-old said helium kept the determination nether wraps, but couldn't incorporate his jubilation connected Thursday.

"There are players who person the capableness to change a game," Gladstone said of Hunter. "There are players who person the capableness to change the trajectory of the team. There are precise fewer players who person the capableness to change the trajectory of the athletics itself. Travis, portion helium has a batch to inactive learn, successful our eyes has the capableness to bash conscionable that."

At No. 3, the New York Giants selected Penn State borderline rusher Abdul Carter and moved backmost into the archetypal circular successful a woody with the Houston Texans for Ole Miss backmost Jaxson Dart astatine No. 25.

The New England Patriots made a promised upgrade to the violative enactment successful beforehand of 2024 No. 3 prime Drake Maye and welcomed LSU near tackle Will Campbell astatine No. 4.

Despite speculation different teams were angling to determination up of the Raiders, Las Vegas held onto the No. 6 prime and went with Boise State moving backmost Ashton Jeanty, who rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns successful 2024. The Raiders were No. 32 successful the league successful rushing with 1,357 full yards and nary ballcarrier with much than 420 yards.

The New York Jets selected Missouri violative tackle Armand Membou with the seventh prime and the Carolina Panthers opted to supply backmost Bryce Young with a large target, taking 6-foot-4 Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan astatine No. 8.

The New Orleans Saints besides moved to bolster their violative line, taking Texas violative tackle/guard Kelvin Banks Jr. astatine No. 9. The Chicago Bears added a 4th top-10 violative subordinate since 2023 with Michigan choky extremity Colston Loveland astatine No. 10.

Atlanta trades prime to Houston

Georgia borderline rusher Mykel Williams went to the San Francisco 49ers astatine No. 11 and Bulldogs teammate Jalon Walker stayed in-state to the Falcons with the 15th pick. Before Georgia information Malaki Starks went to Baltimore with the 27th pick, Atlanta pulled backmost into the archetypal circular successful a commercialized with the Houston Texans by sacrificing adjacent year's first-rounder to adhd a 2nd SEC walk rusher, Tennessee's James Pearce.

Alabama defender Tyler Booker landed with the Dallas Cowboys astatine No. 12. The Miami Dolphins besides dipped into the Michigan endowment pool, taking antiaircraft tackle Kenneth Grant astatine No. 13.

The Indianapolis Colts grabbed different Big Ten choky extremity astatine No. 14, Penn State's Tyler Warren.

Mississippi antiaircraft tackle Walter Nolen went to the Arizona Cardinals astatine No. 16, and the Cincinnati Bengals tabbed the 4th borderline rusher of the archetypal round, taking Texas A&M's Shemar Stewart astatine No. 17.

Guard Grey Zabel from FCS champion North Dakota State went to the Seattle Seahawks astatine No. 18, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers snagged Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the adjacent pick.

The Denver Broncos moved to upgrade their secondary with Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron astatine No. 20. The Pittsburgh Steelers followed with Oregon antiaircraft tackle Derrick Harmon.

Despite adding 2021 first-rounder Najee Harris arsenic a escaped cause successful March, the Chargers selected North Carolina moving backmost Omarion Hampton astatine No. 22. Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden received a reception he'll ne'er lucifer from the hundreds of thousands of Packers fans successful attendance erstwhile helium was announced arsenic the No. 23 pick.

Super Bowl counterparts capped the archetypal circular with a handshake. The champion Eagles traded up 1 spot from No. 32 with the Chiefs and threw successful their fifth-round pick, selecting Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell. Kansas City utilized the last prime successful the archetypal circular connected Ohio State near tackle Josh Simmons, who is returning from a season-ending genu wounded helium sustained successful October.

Hunter, who followed manager Deion Sanders from Jackson State to Colorado, had 96 receptions past play for 1,258 yards, averaging 13.1 per drawback with 15 touchdowns.

"My travel was conscionable maine being focused," Hunter said. "I realized I lone had a mates years to get to this moment, truthful I enactment each these years successful and focused successful and honed successful connected my goal."

Jeanty finished his assemblage vocation with 4,769 rushing yards and 50 rushing touchdowns. He besides caught 80 passes successful his vocation with six scores.

McMillan hauled successful 213 passes for 3,423 yards successful 3 seasons astatine Arizona with 26 touchdowns. Loveland had 117 receptions successful 3 seasons for 1,466 yards with 11 scores.

Warren caught 153 passes for 1,839 yards and 19 touchdowns successful his vocation with the Nittany Lions. Egbuka had 205 receptions for 2,868 yards and 24 scores with the Buckeyes.