Cam Ward made history as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but not everyone in the national spotlight seemed convinced he deserved it. One of the most vocal skeptics? ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who ranked Ward as only the second-best quarterback on his board—behind Shedeur Sanders, who slid all the way to the fifth round.

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal revealed he did not hear from ESPN’s draft guru leading into the 2025 NFL Draft despite Ward ultimately being the No. 1 pick. Kiper made it clear throughout the draft he rated Shedeur Sanders as his No. 1 quarterback in the class.