Despite being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, it was Shedeur Sanders – not Cam Ward – who made headlines throughout the heralded annual event. Despite Ward’s incredible rise from zero-star recruit to first off the board, much of the draft coverage was consumed by other storylines. Whether it was Sanders’ high-profile slide or the usual big-market noise, Ward’s historic moment seemed to slip by without the attention it deserved.
Kyle Brandt Sounds Off: ‘This Is History. Where’s the Buzz?’
That lack of buzz didn’t sit well with some NFL analysts. On Monday’s episode of “Good Morning Football,” Kyle Brandt didn’t hold back, blasting the media’s failure to spotlight Ward’s story properly. Brandt argued that Ward’s market — Tennessee — played a significant role in why the top pick was treated more like an afterthought compared to players in flashier cities.
I know this post will be deleted.
But.
I’m gonna talk about the No.1 pick in the draft. pic.twitter.com/XSTKiDnG56
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt)
“I think Kobe Minor, the last person taken in the draft, got more attention and hype than Cam Ward — the first person taken in the draft,” Brandt said. “I want to talk about ‘Mr. Relevant, which is the No. 1 overall pick. Guys, this is history. I’ve never, ever seen less focus, less buzz, less anything on the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.”
Brandt even compared Ward’s quiet reception to past drafts. “I remember when the No. 1 overall pick was an offensive lineman from Central Michigan named Eric Fisher, and he might as well have been Peyton Manning compared to Cam Ward,” he added.
For Brandt, the lack of attention wasn’t because of Ward’s talent — it was because Ward didn’t bring off-field drama or viral headlines. “Cam Ward’s coolest thing is that there is nothing to talk about, because he doesn’t give anything to talk about,” he said. “Because he is that solid as a person, that solid as a player.”
While Brandt acknowledged that Ward’s low-key nature should be celebrated, he made it clear that market size also played a significant role. “You better believe if that No. 1 overall pick was to the New York Giants or the Dallas Cowboys or the Chicago Bears, there’d be way more Cam Ward talk. But, it’s the fact that he’s going to the Titans, and maybe the Titans logo doesn’t jump off the marquee, that you’re not getting it.”
To Brandt’s point, the reality is that Tennessee is a mid-market NFL franchise in both size and value. Cities like New York (home to the New York Giants and New York Jets), the City of Angels with the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, the Windy City with the Chicago Bears, and even the City of Brotherly Love with the Philadelphia Eagles dominate attention by virtue of being in major cities. According to recent rankings, the Titans consistently fall into the middle tier when it comes to market reach and franchise valuation — respected but hardly headline-makers.
Ward’s journey — from Incarnate Word to the top of the draft board — is a remarkable one. But without the big-city media circus surrounding him, and without a flashy social media presence to manufacture buzz, it’s clear the Titans’ new quarterback will have to earn respect the hard way: By winning on Sundays.
And something tells me that’s just the way Ward wants it.
