Miami quarterback Cam Ward was the first player selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. But based on how the draft was covered at ESPN, we wouldn’t blame anyone for not knowing that.
Leading up to the draft, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was, by far, the most heavily analyzed prospect. Most of the time when there’s a clear No. 1, that player gets the bulk of the attention in the buildup to the NFL Draft. But given Sanders’ name and uncertainty around when he might get selected, that wasn’t too surprising.
Usually, though, when someone is selected, he is the focal point of a broadcast’s attention for the next few minutes. Ward couldn’t even get to that point. As he was walking to the stage, Mike Greenberg began to discuss a trade involving the No. 2 pick between the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Titans select Miami QB Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft…
And the Jaguars trade up with the Browns to get the No. 2 pick!
Adam Schefter reads his phone on live TV to break the massive trade news as Ward is being announced to the Titans. 🏈🚨 #NFLDraft
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing.bsky.social) April 24, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Sanders was also the focal point of Mel Kiper Jr.’s analysis while the Titans were on the clock, when Ward was the obvious selection.
Along with spending much of the Cam Ward pick announcement talking about the Browns-Jaguars trade, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and Louis Riddick spent 2 minutes talking about Shedeur Sanders right before the whole football world knew the Titans were taking Ward. #NFL #NFLDraft
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing.bsky.social) April 24, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Ward did get some mention later. Booger McFarland said that he would take Sanders over the Miami quarterback.
That was soon followed by Booger McFarland explaining why he’d take Shedeur Sanders over Cam Ward (again, while Ward was viewed as a lock to the Titans). #NFLDraft
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing.bsky.social) April 24, 2025 at 10:01 PM
ESPN’s consistent overlooking of Ward was noticed by people watching the Draft.
not sure i’ve seen an obvious no. 1 pick talked about less in the leadup than cam ward. man couldn’t even get to the stage before the espn broadcast started talking about something else.
— bomani (@bomani_jones) April 25, 2025
Cam Ward goes #1 overall, ESPN spends the whole time talking about Shedeur Sanders 🤣
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) April 25, 2025
Cam Ward gotta be the most overlooked No. 1 pick ever. ESPN crew spent more time hyping up Shedeur Sanders instead of talking about him, and then news of the second pick getting traded breaks as he’s picked.
— Scott McLaughlin (@smclaughlin9) April 25, 2025
Atrocious coverage @espn where is Cam Ward’s interview?!
Disrespectful. Disrespectful. Disrespectful.
— Danny Ramirez (@DannyRamirez) April 25, 2025
Cam Ward has been ignored for weeks, and now that he’s about to be drafted, Mel Kiper is talking about Shedeur Sanders???
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 25, 2025
ESPN has hours to talk about Sanders and they using the 10 mins to talk about Cam Ward to talk about Sanders
— David Baker (@audavidb) April 25, 2025
