GREEN BAY, Wis. — Cam Ward went from zero-star recruit to No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Travis Hunter cost Jacksonville a premium. Jaxson Dart was selected before Shedeur Sanders.
While Ward, Hunter and Abdul Carter went 1-2-3 as expected, Sanders kept slipping.
Sanders was passed over by every team that had a need for a potential franchise quarterback, even though some draft analysts had him rated higher than Ward. The New York Giants had two chances to take Sanders — who starred at Colorado under his father, coach Deion Sanders — and went with Penn State edge rusher Carter with the No. 3 pick, bolstering an already strong pass rush.
The Giants then moved back into the first round and selected Dart at No. 25, hoping he could end up providing what another Mississippi quarterback — Eli Manning — did for the franchise.
After the Tennessee Titans selected Ward first overall, the Jaguars moved up from No. 5 to select the Heisman Trophy winner with the second pick. Hunter, a playmaking wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado, wants to become the first full-time, two-way player in the NFL since Chuck Bednarik did it with the Philadelphia Eagles more than 60 years ago. The Jaguars gave the Cleveland Browns a ton to give Hunter that opportunity.
“I’m super excited to go home,” said Hunter, whose hometown is Boynton Beach, Florida. “It means a lot that they gave up so much. It means they believe in me.”
The New England Patriots took LSU left tackle Will Campbell with the fourth pick, giving quarterback Drake Maye more protection.
Campbell broke down in tears on stage, saying: “I’m gonna fight and die to protect him.”
Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham went fifth to Cleveland. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty was picked at No. 6 by the Las Vegas Raiders.
The New York Jets selected Missouri offensive tackle Armand Membou with the seventh pick. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan went to the Carolina Panthers with the No. 8 pick.
The New Orleans Saints chose Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. at No. 9. Michigan’s Colston Loveland became the first tight end off the board when the Chicago Bears selected him at No. 10.
The Titans explored their options with the first pick before it became clear a few weeks ago that Ward would be their man.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Ward’s name to kick off the draft, which for the first time was held next to historic Lambeau Field. The NFL’s smallest market is hosting the league’s biggest offseason event as thousands of fans from across the country traveled to Titletown for the festivities.
Goodell rode a bicycle onto the draft stage and was followed by former Packers stars Clay Matthews, Jordy Nelson, Mason Crosby, Ahman Green and James Jones, as well as rap megastar and Green Bay superfan Lil Wayne.
As usual, fans booed Goodell when he opened the extravaganza.
Titans fans cheered inside the draft theater after hearing Ward’s name called. An overlooked high school player out of Texas, Ward began his college career at Incarnate Word, an FCS school in San Antonio. He played two seasons at Washington State after transferring there in 2022 and then set school records in his only season at Miami, finishing fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.
