The Cleveland Browns may not be the best spot for a rookie quarterback at this point due to how wretched the roster around him would be, but there's a good chance that Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry will find themselves entranced by the prospect of selecting Miami's Cam Ward at No. 2 overall.
While Ward did receive a bit of scorn for leaving his bowl game with a lead after setting a touchdown pass record, some connected media members have made it a mission to set the record straight and defend him as a franchise quarterback option.
NFL analyst Louis Riddick was extremely complementary of Ward during an appearance on First Take, highlighting the former 0-star recruit's ability to instantly transofrm a team on the back of tremendous leadership abilities that can be attested to by Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal.
Riddick even compared Ward to Jayden Daniels, who may have had the greatest rookie season by a quarterback in recent NFL history, by implying both of them have the same tireless work ethic. With that mindset inside of someone with as much physical talent as Ward has, it seems obvious the quarterback-needy Browns would snatch him up.
Louis Riddick hypes up possible Browns draft pick Cam Ward
Ward is the type of prospect for teams who value a big arm, experience as a starter, and a daring attitude. With over 150 career touchdown passes split between five starting seasons at Incarnate Word, Washington State, and Miami, Ward has been able to pile up the points consistently.
Ward's best traits are his strong arm down the field and his ability to make plays on the move. Even with some concerns about his ball security due to his propensity to be a bit cavalier with the ball, teams like Cleveland will assuredly be willing to overlook that due to his enticing highs.
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The Browns may not have the financial means to be a competitive team in 2025, and next year's quarterback class may be viewed as far superior to what we have this year, but Berry and the front office would be foolish to pass on a player like Ward if they genuinely believe that he can lead this team to glory in the near future.
Ward getting strong leadership recommendations from a plugged-in media member like Riddick makes him an even more intriguing prospect. With each passing day, Ward seems more attractive for Cleveland.