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CORAL GABLES — Cam Ward, the NFL Draft prospect seemingly more perfect than any other, wasn’t on the money in one way.
When he skipped working out at the NFL Combine last month, he claimed that everything scouts need to know about him was already on tape.
Make that almost everything.
Then came Monday. Pro day at the University of Miami, where Ward did work out.
And where he put on a show.
More: Miami’s Cam Ward finished fourth in Heisman voting. Why he lost out to Travis Hunter
If nothing else, it had to give Tennessee Titans scouts the last piece of information they need on what they should do with the top pick in next month’s NFL Draft.
Simply put, they can feel good about going with Ward as their new franchise quarterback.
Ward even indicated as much to Titans scouts in the middle of the workout, hitting Xavier Restrepo with a pass down the sideline and then turning to the Tennessee contingent in a “You guys see that?” kind of way.
“I’m solidifying it today,” Ward later said. “They finally got to see me throw in person. That should be all they need to see.”
A cameo, this wasn’t. With all 32 NFL teams in attendance, Ward put on a display lasting close to a half hour with his former UM receiving teammates.
In all that time, the ball hit the ground roughly only eight times. It didn’t matter if he was operating in the pocket, rolling out or on the run. Didn’t matter if he was throwing short, launching rainbows deep or zipping to receivers on the outside. Nearly all the passes found their targets.
It wasn’t lost on Ward that he’s in the position he’s in, drawing a large media contingent and live coverage on NFL Network, following a collegiate career that began at Incarnate Word because nobody else was interested in his services.
“I just think it goes back to me not forgetting where I came from,” he said. “There’s one point where I didn’t have one camera looking at me. Now the whole world’s looking at me.
“So I carry myself a certain type of way.”
He carries himself like a guy who expects to be the first player taken but not one who thinks the game owes it to him. Asked about the other players expected to go in the first few picks, Ward was humble.
“I think we all do different things uniquely,” he said. “I think I do some things better than them. They might do some things better than me. At the end of the day, it comes back to what a team wants.”
The large Titans contingent included coach Brian Callahan, general manager Mike Burgonzi and VP Reggie McKenzie, formerly of the Dolphins’ front office.
Ward said he looked forward to continuing dialogue with the Titans: “Let them get to know me. I get to know them as much as well.”
He credited Callahan with his work with Bengals QB Joe Burrow.
“The things he did with Joe Burrow when he first got to the league made him be real successful,” Ward said, adding if he does wind up a Titan, “It’ll be plug and play.”
Receiver Jacolby George couldn’t help but notice the difference at this year’s UM pro day compared to before Ward arrived.
“We’re grateful just to have Cam,” George said. “We knew it was going to be completely different from last year. That’s why we repped so hard — so we knew we had to put on a show for everybody.”
It included a final bit of razzle-dazzle with Ward taking the snap before a few laterals led to … who’s that all alone in the end zone? Ward, suddenly playing receiver. Call it The Miami Special.
Call it Ward’s farewell to Coral Gables and probable hello to Nashville.
“Of course,” George said when asked if Tennessee should pick Ward. “It would be crazy not to.”
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Did Cam Ward do enough at Miami's Pro Day to convince Titans to draft him?
Continue reading...
When he skipped working out at the NFL Combine last month, he claimed that everything scouts need to know about him was already on tape.
Make that almost everything.
Then came Monday. Pro day at the University of Miami, where Ward did work out.
And where he put on a show.
More: Miami’s Cam Ward finished fourth in Heisman voting. Why he lost out to Travis Hunter
If nothing else, it had to give Tennessee Titans scouts the last piece of information they need on what they should do with the top pick in next month’s NFL Draft.
Simply put, they can feel good about going with Ward as their new franchise quarterback.
Cam Ward made sure Tennessee Titans contingent saw his passing skills
Ward even indicated as much to Titans scouts in the middle of the workout, hitting Xavier Restrepo with a pass down the sideline and then turning to the Tennessee contingent in a “You guys see that?” kind of way.
“I’m solidifying it today,” Ward later said. “They finally got to see me throw in person. That should be all they need to see.”
A cameo, this wasn’t. With all 32 NFL teams in attendance, Ward put on a display lasting close to a half hour with his former UM receiving teammates.
In all that time, the ball hit the ground roughly only eight times. It didn’t matter if he was operating in the pocket, rolling out or on the run. Didn’t matter if he was throwing short, launching rainbows deep or zipping to receivers on the outside. Nearly all the passes found their targets.
It wasn’t lost on Ward that he’s in the position he’s in, drawing a large media contingent and live coverage on NFL Network, following a collegiate career that began at Incarnate Word because nobody else was interested in his services.
“I just think it goes back to me not forgetting where I came from,” he said. “There’s one point where I didn’t have one camera looking at me. Now the whole world’s looking at me.
“So I carry myself a certain type of way.”
He carries himself like a guy who expects to be the first player taken but not one who thinks the game owes it to him. Asked about the other players expected to go in the first few picks, Ward was humble.
“I think we all do different things uniquely,” he said. “I think I do some things better than them. They might do some things better than me. At the end of the day, it comes back to what a team wants.”
The large Titans contingent included coach Brian Callahan, general manager Mike Burgonzi and VP Reggie McKenzie, formerly of the Dolphins’ front office.
Ward said he looked forward to continuing dialogue with the Titans: “Let them get to know me. I get to know them as much as well.”
He credited Callahan with his work with Bengals QB Joe Burrow.
“The things he did with Joe Burrow when he first got to the league made him be real successful,” Ward said, adding if he does wind up a Titan, “It’ll be plug and play.”
Receiver Jacolby George couldn’t help but notice the difference at this year’s UM pro day compared to before Ward arrived.
“We’re grateful just to have Cam,” George said. “We knew it was going to be completely different from last year. That’s why we repped so hard — so we knew we had to put on a show for everybody.”
It included a final bit of razzle-dazzle with Ward taking the snap before a few laterals led to … who’s that all alone in the end zone? Ward, suddenly playing receiver. Call it The Miami Special.
Call it Ward’s farewell to Coral Gables and probable hello to Nashville.
“Of course,” George said when asked if Tennessee should pick Ward. “It would be crazy not to.”
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Did Cam Ward do enough at Miami's Pro Day to convince Titans to draft him?
Continue reading...
