"He put statistics over winning" - ESPN analyst tears into Cam Ward over bold comments ahead of 2025 NFL Draft

Cam Ward had a magnificent season under center in his lone year with the Miami Hurricanes. His strong season led to a fourth-place Heisman Trophy finish while he also broke the NCAA career record for passing touchdowns.

Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo ripped Ward for his comments about teams passing him up in the 2025 NFL Draft during an appearance on ESPN's First Take, stating (starting at the 0:37 mark):

"He played one half of the bowl game to set the record with the amount of touchdowns. Case Keenum had 156 and he had 157 and then he sat out the second half and they lost... That's a bunch of nonsense. If Cam Ward wanted to finish his career and play the game, they would have let him finish the career. So I don't like that, because he put statistics over winning the game."

Russo added:

"I'm not quite ready to say that this is a no doubt about it, no miss, think straight, he's going to be the first/second pick in the draft, you're going to win, Jayden Daniels. I'm not ready to say that."

Ward is projected to be a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft as he is widely expected to be one of the first two quarterbacks drafted, along with former Colorado Buffaloes star Shedeur Sanders.

Cam Ward shares warning to teams that pass on him in 2025 NFL Draft

Cam Ward has made it clear that he believes he should be the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The former Miami Hurricanes quarterback issued a warning to each team that passes on him this spring, stating:

"Okay, you're either going to draft me or you're not. 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."

While Ward could be the first player off the board, there is a chance that he is not. The Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns hold the top two picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, with both likely in the market for a quarterback.