Shedeur Sanders vs. Cam Ward: Which QB should go first in 2025 NFL Draft?

As the college football season unfolded, it became increasingly clear that one quarterback stood above all the rest when it comes to the NFL Draft: Shedeur Sanders.

The Colorado signal-caller has been rock-solid all season, guiding the Buffs to a 9-3 record and a date with BYU in the Alamo Bowl (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET). And Sanders remains at the top of the odds board, sitting at -200 (bet $10 to win $15 total) this week to go No. 1 overall.

But another player has been gaining some late steam: Miami's Cam Ward, who has led his team to a 10-2 mark and matchup against Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET). The Canes' star is second in betting odds to go No. 1 overall, at +170 (bet $10 to win $27 total).

With the race seeming to heat up, we thought it would be fun to have our experts examine these two quarterbacks more closely and chime in on which QB deserves to be drafted first.

Jason McIntyre, Rob Rang, Bucky Brooks and RJ Young were up to the task. Here's what they had to say.

Which QB should be the first chosen in the NFL Draft, Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders?

Jason McIntyre: Cam Ward

I had Cam Ward No. 1 in my mock draft, and for most teams that are QB-needy, I’d take Ward. He’s an extremely gifted thrower, moves fluidly in the pocket, and watching him this season lead the Miami Hurricanes back to relevance — he turns 23 in May and maturity won’t be an issue.

[Jason McIntyre's mock draft: Giants grab Ward at No. 1, Raiders get Sanders]

The one team that definitely makes sense for Shedeur Sanders is the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders thought they had their "face" of the franchise in Jon Gruden, and that failed miserably. Sanders is a big-time star, but I see a lot of backyard football in him — similar to Caleb Williams.

But Sanders has only played football for his dad dating back to high school, where his dad was the offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian in Texas. Then they both went to Jackson State. Then they both went to Colorado.

If your team drafts Shedeur, just know that the clock instantly begins ticking on Deion Sanders being your next head coach. I'm not sure how many coaches will push back against this ahead of the draft.

Rob Rang: Shedeur Sanders

No quarterback improved his NFL draft stock more in 2024 than Ward, but in the race to be the first signal-caller selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders remains well ahead of him.

Statistics can be bent to prove a lot of things, but in the case of Sanders’ FBS-leading 74.2% completion rate this season, the numbers bear out what’s on film — the simple fact that "Deion’s kid" is the most accurate quarterback in the country.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Sanders does not possess a howitzer for an arm. Frankly, Ward’s is stronger. Further, Sanders has a normal, efficient release, whereas Ward’s is lightning-quick. And don’t be surprised if Ward measures in as bigger and more explosive in whatever workouts the quarterbacks opt to do, as well. Ward’s inspirational journey from Incarnate Wood to Washington State to a Heisman Trophy finalist at Miami is undeniable and a stark contrast to the perceived pampering Sanders has experienced playing the past four years with his father as head coach.

However, from a pure football perspective, Sanders stands apart from the other quarterbacks in this class, especially in his precision and anticipation. Flat-footed in the pocket or on the move, he fires short and intermediate passes with confidence and lofts the ball downfield with plus-touch and trajectory, often throwing his receivers open. While there are some questionable decisions in his tape — a pick-six early on against Nebraska, for example — he rarely makes the same mistake twice, showing the savvy that comes with a lifetime spent watching and playing the game at a high level. 

And while his flashy persona may be viewed by some as a concern, it is precisely his experience and apparent comfort in the spotlight that may, in fact, make Sanders popular with teammates and unusually well-prepared for the media glare that comes with being the face of an NFL franchise.

Bucky Brooks: Shedeur Sanders

The debate between Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward will take center stage during the draft season, but the Colorado standout is the clear choice as QB1 in the 2025 class. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder is the prototypical franchise quarterback NFL teams have coveted for the last 20 years. 

From his classic drop-back playing style, to his unwavering confidence and swagger, to his clutch playmaking ability, Sanders checks off the boxes as an elite quarterback prospect. As the son of a Hall of Fame player with a flamboyant personality, he thrived on the biggest and brightest stage since stepping onto Jackson State’s campus as a four-star recruit with a big-game reputation.

Sanders showcased franchise quarterback skills, leading his JSU to a pair of SWAC championships with a 23-3 overall record, including a perfect mark in conference play. He dazzled with a 68.3% completion rate for 6,983 yards and 70 touchdowns with just 14 interceptions, while adding 157 yards and nine rushing touchdowns. The first-team All-American carved up SWAC defenses with surgical precision, exhibiting exceptional timing and anticipation on quick-rhythm throws.

Moreover, Sanders displayed the poise, pocket awareness, and diagnostic skills to punish opponents for overaggressive coverage and blitzes. Though critics questioned his success due to the level of competition, it is hard to ignore his performance and production as a young player leading his squad to championships.

After transferring to Colorado, Sanders silenced the naysayers with productive seasons, creating a buzz in the NFL scouting community. He completed 71.8% of his passes for 7,156 yards with 62 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. The improved accuracy, efficiency, and production speak to Sanders’ quick acclimation to Pac-12/Big 12 competition. Given his success against better competition, it is easy to envision him flourishing as a pro after a brief adjustment period as a rookie.

Sanders has been too good for too long to fail at the NFL level, particularly after playing in a pro-style offense coordinated by a former NFL head coach/offensive playcaller (Pat Shurmur). He enters the league with experience executing NFL-like concepts, shrinking his learning curve as a rookie. In addition, he is a four-year starter with 50 collegiate starts (including the 2024 Alamo Bowl), which will accelerate his learning curve.

Considering that Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix have crushed it as rookies after logging 50-plus starts as collegians, Sanders has a chance to stand out as a rookie in the right environment.

While Ward's arm talent and moxie will appeal to some teams looking for a spark, Sanders' poise, pocket awareness and big-game experience gives him the nod in the QB1 debate.

RJ Young: It depends on what you're looking for

Yes. The answer is yes, you ridiculous pro football provocateur. Yes, you delinquent draftnik. Yes, you filthy fantasy football fantasist.

 This is one of those first world problems the rich and famous complain about. 

Would you rather have a playmaker in the pocket (Ward) or a fixer as a field general (Sanders)? Would you rather never pay taxes again?

Yes, you would, you rude and radical gridiron grifter. 

Would you like to have the nation’s No. 2 passer in Ward, who threw for 4,123 yards, 36 touchdowns and seven touchdowns, or the nation’s No. 4 passer and the single-season record holder at Colorado with 3,926 yards, 35 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions?

Yes, you would, you keyboard-clacking rabble-rouser.

Would you rather have the QB who threw passes to the Heisman Winner (Sanders) or the one throwing passes to the most prolific receiver in Miami Hurricanes history (Ward)? 

Yes, you would, John Mara.

Would you rather have the quarterback forged in the crucible of Texas high school football, who made his name at an FCS school, transferred to a Power 4 program, and then led that program to a top 25 ranking and just short of playing for a conference title this season? That’s Sanders and Ward again.

Yes, you would Jerry Jones.

Would you rather have the quarterback who started more than 40 college football games in his career?

Yes, you would Mark Davis.

Would you rather have the quarterback who went into the Swamp, dropped 41 points and 385 passing yards on the Gators and then turned around and told UF fans they’re not enough? Then that’s Ward.

Would you rather have the QB who has been coached by one of the greatest football players to ever live and one of the greatest athletes the universe has ever seen? The one who doesn’t know what it’s like not to be famous. The one who knows who to handle it. The one that has been called "grown" by his father since he was a teenager. Then draft Sanders. 

Would you like the opportunity to enjoy the kind of success and popularity the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders enjoy? Then stop arguing about which one to get and just make sure you’re in a position to draft one. Then it’s up to you. Then it’s up to your front office to surround him with every available tool to promote development, to sell out in pursuit of where their individual talent can lead you.

Do you want the best chance to turn your franchise into a Super Bowl champion with a single solitary selection? 

Then the answer is yes.

Now here’s the hard part: Don’t mess this up.

Jason McIntyre is a FOX Sports betting analyst who also writes about the NFL and NBA Draft. Before arriving at FOX, he created the website The Big Lead. Follow him on Twitter @JasonRMcIntyre.

Rob Rang is an NFL Draft analyst for FOX Sports. He has been covering the NFL Draft for more than 20 years, with work at FOX, Sports Illustrated, CBSSports.com, USA Today, Yahoo, NFL.com and NFLDraftScout.com, among others. He also works as a scout with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Follow him on Twitter @RobRang.

RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him at @RJ_Young.

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]