The anticipated NFL draft is just around the corner, stirring excitement amongst the league’s fan-base. This significant event, circled in red on the NFL calendar, is just a few weeks away. This year’s draft, however, retains an element of unpredictability with regards to the coveted top pick.
The talented quarterbacks, Cam Ward from Miami and Shedeur Sanders, have been placed among the front-runners in the competition for the first choice in the upcoming draft. However, a solid conclusion is yet to be reached with assurance about either player, or any other quarterback for that matter, being the first pick.
Cam Ward, in an attempt to affirm his standing as the potential top choice, has recently showcased his skills to all of the 32 NFL teams at Miami’s on-campus professional event day. This was inclusive of the Tennessee Titans, the current custodians of the first pick for the upcoming draft.
Expressing his viewpoint, Ward confirmed, ‘I was finally able to exhibit my throwing ability to them in person. That should provide them with enough conviction.’ He continued, ‘Regardless of if they choose to award me the top pick or not, I’ll be contented with any team that I become part of. I have a singular passion – playing football.’
The annual NFL draft is a three-day affair, this year slated to be held from the 24th to the 26th of April. The event will set up at the Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, home to the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.
The proceedings will commence on Thursday, the 24th of April, with the first round of the draft starting at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Subsequently, the second and third rounds will take place on Friday, April 25, with a kick-off time of 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
The final day of this three-day event, Saturday, April 26, will schedule the remaining fourth to seventh round selections. This will begin at noon Eastern Time, marking the conclusion of the draft proceedings for that year.
For this year’s top quarterback prospects, Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are the names that are being discussed, but there is no guarantee they will be the first two off the board. This marks a departure from the trend seen in the previous years’ draft process, with Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels taken first in 2024, and Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud in 2023.
In addition to these quarterbacks, other high-profile prospects, including edge rusher Abdul Carter and dual threat Travis Hunter, also offer credible contention. The possibility of a non-quarterback player being picked first is not an alien concept, as defensive end Travon Walker was chosen as the top pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2022 draft.
To give an overview of the landscape of the upcoming draft, here is a rundown of the teams currently in position for the first ten picks. These mirror the teams that made the first ten picks in last year’s 2024 draft.
The first to step up to the plate this year are the Tennessee Titans. They are followed by the Cleveland Browns with the second selection. The New York Giants come in with the third overall pick.
Up next in the order is the New England Patriots at the fourth slot, followed closely by the Jacksonville Jaguars at the fifth pick. The Las Vegas Raiders then enter the scene with the sixth overall choice.
The draft move progresses with the New York Jets owning the seventh pick. Subsequently, the eighth pick finds its claimant in the Carolina Panthers. The New Orleans Saints sit ready with the ninth pick.
Closing off the top ten selections in the upcoming draft are the Chicago Bears. Offering a dossier of skilled aspirants, this year’s NFL draft is eagerly anticipated for its potential to shake up the league’s roster.