Point-Counterpoint: Cam Ward vs. Shedeur Sanders 

Tyler Lato 

Cam Ward: 

There is no doubt that Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders are among the two best quarterbacks in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft. Despite failing to lead their teams to championship glory, both produced wildly impressive and were undoubtedly the batteries in their teams’ respective high-octane offenses. Here’s the catch: Ward certainly has a better chance of becoming a franchise than Sanders. This argument is based on the premises that Ward possesses superior athleticism and demonstrates greater composure off the field. 

For one, Ward is far more athletic than Sanders. Though both quarterbacks measure in at 6’2, Ward’s ability to be elusive in the pocket and make plays with his legs is unlike Sanders or any quarterback in this draft class. His elusiveness, in terms, allows him  to avoid sacks at a very high rate, which is very much evident in both films and score sheets. While both quarterbacks were backed by very poor offensive line play, Sanders was sacked 94 times between the 2023 and 2024 seasons, whereas Ward was only sacked 60 times. While Sanders is known to hold onto the ball for too long and take huge numbers of sacks, Ward’s ability to use his legs to avoid pressure and make incredible plays will surely give him an edge over Sanders.  

In 2023, before the Oregon Ducks faced the undefeated Colorado Buffaloes, Ducks head coach Dan Lanning told his team, “They’re playing for clicks, we’re playing for wins.” Well, that’s exactly what comes to mind when I think about Shedeur Sanders. Whether it be through his hit rap “Perfect Timing” (which I think is a pretty good song), his high-profile NIL deals, or even TV shows, Sanders has developed quite an image for himself off the field, becoming more of a media icon. On the other hand, we don’t hear much about Cam Ward off the field, and his public profile is far more subtle. After a win, Ward handles himself calmly and maturely, displaying remarkable poise for a young quarterback. I believe an important intangible of an NFL quarterback is the ability to block out distractions, stay humble, and focus solely on football. While Sanders may possess those attributes, they can be harder to recognize due to the image he has built off the field. However, it’s more evident that Ward embodies those traits, giving himself yet another edge over Sanders.  

Lastly, I believe that Ward’s play style is a better fit for the future of the NFL than Sanders. 

Patrick Mahomes. Josh Allen. Lamar Jackson. Jalen Hurts.  

What do all four of these NFL star quarterbacks have in common?  

They all possess the ability to run, scramble and make crazy plays with their legs. Ward just has this ability. He remains cool and collected in the pocket, evades pressure and uncorks bombs to his receivers. Sanders does not possess this ability. While he does possess legitimate arm strength to be a franchise quarterback, Sanders’ mere immobility just does not fit in with how the quarterback position is currently being played in the NFL. More and more NFL teams are utilizing quarterbacks as runners, and Ward’s dual-threat ability aligns perfectly with this evolving trend. Although becoming a franchise quarterback in the league is quite a challenge, I believe that Ward, for these reasons, has a far better chance of becoming a franchise quarterback than Sanders. 

Thomas Buckley 

Shedeur Sanders: 

When looking at both FBS quarterbacks, it’s clear that they’ve established themselves as some of the best players in college football last season, and heading into the combine, they’re both projected to be 1st round picks in the upcoming draft. However, if you were to pick the better of the two prospects, it would have to be Shedeur Sanders. In his last season at Colorado, Sanders finished with 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, finished 8th in voting for the Heisman and led Colorado to a 9-3 record. Despite losing their bowl game to BYU, Sanders showed out with some incredible performances. In the last game of the regular season, Colorado dismantled and shutout Oklahoma State 52-0, with Sanders finishing the game with 438 yards, five touchdowns while completing over 80% of his passes. His potential to be an elite starting quarterback increases tenfold when you remember that his father, now coach and mentor, was one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history. Since he got hired as head coach in 2023, Deion Sanders has completely shifted the culture at Colorado and turned the Buffaloes from a subpar team in 2023 to one of the most exciting stories in college football in 2024.  

With this kind of pedigree and level of knowledge, Sanders can benefit a lot from learning under an NFL Hall of Famer and someone who was dominant on the defensive side of the ball and who can pass that knowledge down to his son. Sanders was already one of the best and most accurate passers in college football last season, completing an incredible 74% of his passes, and with his father there to help him understand the complexity and unpredictability of NFL defenses, it’ll make him more “pro ready” than any other QB prospect in his draft class.  

Sanders already has the ideal mold for a starting NFL quarterback, standing at 6’2 and 215 pounds, he’s big enough to where he can absorb contact without getting severely injured and small enough to where he can escape defenses when needed. With the proper mentor, he’s destined to be a first-round pick and drafted to a team that could benefit a lot from his talents. There were many college quarterbacks who had stellar seasons last year, but with the amount of potential, mentorship and raw talent coming from Sanders and his playstyle, it’s hard to argue that any other quarterback stands above him heading into the 2025 draft.