It appears all but certain that the Tennessee Titans will select Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday night’s NFL Draft.
According to reports, Titans general manager Mike Borgonzi confirmed the team has come to a decision. “We’ve come to a consensus. We’ll pick at 1 on Thursday night,” Borgonzi said.
As ESPN’s Peter Schrager noted in his final mock draft, “Ward has aced this process.” That performance has reportedly made the Titans eager to make him their new franchise quarterback with the top pick.
Now all that’s left is for the phone call to come, and for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to announce Ward’s name on stage in Green Bay.
When that moment comes, Ward will be presented with a No. 1 Titans jersey. But when it comes to suiting up on game day, the number he wears could be different.
The Titans retired the No. 1 jersey to honor legendary quarterback Warren Moon, who played for the organization — then known as the Houston Oilers — from 1984 to 1993.
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Ward wore No. 1 at both Washington State and Miami and has said he would like to continue wearing it in the NFL.
“One right now, but we’ll see when I am in the league,” Ward said in a recent TikTok. “It just depends on what team I go to, what number they got. So we’re hoping to stay with one. If not, I’ll just switch my number.”
The former Hurricanes star could consider switching back to No. 7, which he wore in high school and at Incarnate Word.
The good news for Ward? According to Titans insider Paul Kuharsky, Warren Moon is at least open to the idea of allowing him to wear the retired number.
“I’m thinking about it,” Moon said.
If anyone was deserving of a retired number, it’s Moon. A 2006 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, Moon threw for 33,685 yards and 196 touchdowns with the Oilers — still the franchise’s all-time leader in both categories.
Ward hopes to follow in the footsteps of Moon and Steve McNair — the team’s second all-time leading passer — and become the next franchise quarterback Tennessee has been searching for.
After opting to forgo the NFL Draft last year and transfer to Miami, Ward became a breakout star, earning Heisman Trophy finalist honors and breaking several Hurricanes records. That decision now appears to have paid off — with Ward poised to hear his name called first overall.