The Tennessee Titans face a major decision with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. With a clear need for a quarterback, there will be temptation to select either Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders. However, many analysts believe that Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and Penn State EDGE Abdul Carter are superior overall prospects, though neither plays the most critical position in football.
Two respected draft analysts, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler and ESPN’s Field Yates, recently updated their rankings for the 2025 draft. Let’s dive into where these four players rank on their big boards. The consensus points to Carter and Hunter being in a higher tier than Ward and Sanders.
As expected, Hunter is ranked No. 1, and Carter is No. 2 on Yates’ Big Board. Ward is ranked as the top quarterback at No. 12 overall, with Sanders not far behind at No. 19. However, there is a noticeable gap between the top players and the quarterbacks on ESPN’s rankings. Brugler’s list shows an even wider gap. On The Athletic’s Big Board, Hunter and Carter are also ranked No. 1 and No. 2. However, Ward is the first quarterback on the list at No. 19, while Sanders is down at No. 25 overall. It’s clear that Yates has factored in positional value, while Brugler appears to have focused purely on the talent of the individual players, regardless of position. Both analysts see a significant distinction between Hunter/Carter and the quarterbacks.
Will the Titans feel compelled to draft a quarterback early? They have already met with Sanders at the East-West Shrine Bowl and will get a chance to meet with Ward (and other prospects) at the NFL Scouting Combine. This is when general manager Chad Brinker and director of player personnel Mike Borgonzi will begin to finalize their decision at No. 1 overall.
The prevailing opinion remains that no quarterback in this draft class warrants being selected first overall. This view is further reinforced by the latest Big Board updates. The Titans have also been linked to veteran quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers and Jameis Winston. If Derek Carr or Matthew Stafford becomes available, both quarterbacks have previous ties to head coach Brian Callahan.