It appears that this truly was a one-quarterback class.
At least, in terms of premium draft value.
The Tennessee Titans, as expected, selected Miami’s Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s NFL Draft. They turned down multiple offers from other quarterback-needy teams to do so, including a lucrative package from the New York Giants.
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This is according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who reported Thursday night that the Giants, Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints all reached out to the Titans to ask about the No. 1 pick. Per the report, the Giants offered the Titans their first-round pick in this year’s and next year’s draft, “along with other picks.”
The Titans declined them all, turning down significant draft capital to select Ward.
New York’s reported offer included the No. 3 pick in the draft, which would have allowed the Titans to select one of the consensus top-two players in the draft — of which Ward is not. Then they would have had the first-round selection next season of a team playing with a rookie quarterback.
In the eyes of QB-needy teams, Ward was head and shoulders above the rest of his class. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The Giants ended up selecting edge rusher Abdul Carter, who is one of the top two prospects in the draft.
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Cleveland’s package would have presumably included the No. 2 pick in the draft, which carried tremendous weight of its own. In fact, the Browns netted two first-round draft picks from the Jacksonville Jaguars to trade down three spots from No. 2 after Ward went off the board. That’s because Travis Hunter was available.
The two-way star is considered by most to be the top prospect in the draft, a generational talent with All-Pro upside at both cornerback and wide receiver. But the Titans passed on the opportunity to select either Hunter or Carter in addition to picking up first-round capital in next year’s draft. They liked Ward that much.
As for the other quarterbacks on the board, including Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe? None of the quarterback-desperate teams drafting in the top 10 selected them. After trading down to No. 5, the Browns took Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, two picks after the Giants selected Carter.
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The Saints, meanwhile, took Texas offensive linemen Kelvin Banks Jr.
So the Browns, Giants and Saints really wanted to select a quarterback on Thursday. But not just any quarterback. Ward was the guy, and then there was everybody else.
