The Tennessee Titans are widely expected to select University of Miami QB Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick at the NFL Draft in 10 days. Ward has separated himself from the pack of top-end talent to be the player most likely to be a Titan. The Titans need a quarterback, and Ward has the talent to be a high-level quarterback in the NFL.
Being the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft comes with plenty of pressure to succeed. Fans are going to doubt until proven wrong. Narratives surrounding Ward are starting to circulate as the possibility of Ward going No. 1 continues to grow. Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky wants fans to turn on the film and watch Ward dissect a defense before starting narratives about him.
Dan Orlovsky Defends Cam Ward Amid False Narratives
Orlovsky came to the defense of Ward amidst narratives around his ability translating to the NFL. Orlovsky believes that Ward has what it takes from the pocket to be a great quarterback.
“He’s better from in the pocket than out—narratives are narratives. Tape doesn’t lie,” said Orlovsky.
He’s better from in the pocket than out—-narratives are narratives. Tape doesn’t lie—@Titans pic.twitter.com/9UwWAiarEG
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) April 14, 2025
If there’s one truth to the NFL, it’s that the film doesn’t lie. Orlovsky made sure to call out the narratives that suggest Ward will struggle as a pocket passer. For these narratives to have a basis, the tape has to support it. Orlovsky breaks down a sequence of Ward against the University of California to show the tape doesn’t lie, and that he’s a successful pocket passer, unlike the narratives around his name.
“The stuff that Cam Ward does from the pocket consistently is the strength of his game. It is not one of those oh my gosh, run-around playmakers,” said Orlovsky on the real strengths of Ward’s game.
Ward is often comfortable in the pocket and delivers calculated throws to pick apart defenses. Orlovsky breaks down a great throw from Ward that is on time and perfectly placed as a result of his ability to be a pocket passer and read the defense in front of him. This clip of film helps to dispel any false narratives surrounding his ability as Orlovsky is adamant that the tape will show exactly what fans can see with this clip.
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Ward can sling the pigskin, no doubt about it. He racked up 4,313 passing yards and 39 touchdowns through the air. He only had 204 rushing yards last season as well. He makes his impact by passing the ball in the pocket and not being very mobile running around trying to make wild plays. He has this ability, but as Orlovsky suggests with the tape, Ward is a pocket passer at his core.
Ward is going to be an important player wherever he lands. It is almost a formality that he will be going to Tennessee to be the next franchise QB for the Titans after the Will Levis experiment failed. Ultimately, Orlovsky wants fans to know that Ward is a pocket passer when he is maximized to the best of his ability and that Titans fans should be excited about Ward and not be expecting an on-the-run quarterback like Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.