CAM Ward was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he isn’t getting the respect of a top prospect.
Even though there isn’t a huge amount of preseason hype around Ward, he isn’t letting the chip fall off his shoulder.
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Cam Ward feels like he has a target on his back going into the NFL seasonCredit: AP
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Ward was disrespected with a low Madden 26 ratingCredit: Getty
Ward wants to let his play do the talking, and doesn’t care about what people think of him.
“I don’t care about the hype,” Ward told The Athletic.
“I don’t care about social media. All I care about is this 100-yard field.
“At the end of the day, football takes care of everything.
“I don’t think I’m being welcomed in [the league] with open arms.
“I was the first pick. I’m blessed to be that. But at the end of the day, there’s a target on my back.
“There’s a target on everyone’s back in the league, but I’m trying to prove myself to my teammates.”
In order to prove himself in the league, Ward is showing up early and making an impression
According to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, Ward has been at the Tennessee Titans‘ facility every day at 5:30 am.
Teammates have started to join him for his early workout, which is a testament to his leadership.
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“Good things only come to people who work,” Ward said.
“Growing up, I saw my dad wake up at 4:30 a.m. doing a job he didn’t like.
“If I can’t wake up early to do a job I do like, I just think I shouldn’t be here.”
Despite all the work he is putting in, Ward is still getting disrespected off the field.
EA released its Madden 26 ratings on Wednesday, and Ward wasn’t featured prominently in them.
NFL important dates 2025 season
March 12 – Free Agency begins
April 24-26 – NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin
September 4 – 2025 season opener (TBC vs Eagles)
November 27 – Thanksgiving Day triple header
January 4, 2026 – End of regular-season
February 8, 2026 – Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California
In fact, he wasn’t even in the top 10 of rookie ratings.
Ward was rated at just a 71 overall, which one fan labeled as “an absolute joke.”
Despite being the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, he had the second-lowest rating among first-round picks.
The top 10 rated rookies are as follows:
Travis Hunter – 84Ashton Jeanty – 83Abdul Carter – 81Mason Graham – 80Will Campbell – 79Jalon Walker – 79Kenneth Grant – 78Jahdae Barron – 78Mykel Williams – 78Maxwell Hairston – 78