"It's translatable to the National Football League": Joel Klatt hails Shedeur Sanders while picking him over Cam Ward as No. 1 pick

Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward have differentiated themselves from the rest of the pack. The two quarterbacks top their position group as April's NFL Draft nears, but FOX Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt thinks one stands ahead of the other.

Klatt, who once played behind center for Colorado, likes the signal-caller who played for his alma mater the past two years.

"My No. 1 quarterback available in this year's NFL Draft is Shedeur Sanders from Colorado," Klatt said Tuesday on his podcast. "He is equal parts surgeon and artist, and that's one of the reasons why I love his game and I think it's translatable to the National Football League. He is more ready now to go in and be the starting quarterback than anybody else in this draft.

"He's the one that is ready right now. You can plug him into an NFL offense next week and he can start for you. He's that smart and he's that capable."

In ESPN mock drafts, Shedeur Sanders is taken behind Cam Ward. Sanders threw for 4,134 yards for the Buffaloes this past season, good enough for fourth in the nation behind Syracuse's Kyle McCord (4,779), Ward (4,313) and Ole Miss' Jaxon Dart (4,279). Each of those players will be available in the draft.

Shedeur Sanders also led the country in completion percentage (74.0%) and was second in passing touchdowns (37) in 2024. He was the most-sacked passer in the nation, too, having been taken down 42 times.

Sanders' ability to lift those around him is what Klatt likes the most.

"He has proven exactly what he needs to do at the next level," Klatt said. "Raise the level of the entire organization, the entire team, the offense, everyone around him. He's already done that."

How does Cam Ward compare to Shedeur Sanders?

Sanders and Cam Ward have been working out together over the past month or so, posting videos on YouTube of the banter during their training sessions. Klatt likes what he sees out of Ward, as well.

"I like Cam Ward a lot," Klatt said. "I love his game. It's different than Shedeur Sanders', but these two guys have clearly separated themselves out. ... Ward is a little bit of a gunslinger, which I like, by the way. But, he'll take some chances out there. He's got a great arm. He will drift away a little bit. He will hold the ball a little bit too long at times.

"But, man, he is the reason Miami was able to do what they were able to do. He's played a ton of football."

Ward set the NCAA Division I record for career touchdown passes to cap his lone season with the Hurricanes.