Washington State QB Cameron Ward Looks the Part

Cameron Ward is a name some fans may know and some may not know, but this Washington State quarterback (QB) is someone a lot more fans will know by season’s end.

When I earlier looked at five games of Ward from his 2022 game film, he was impressive. After adding another three games to the mix, he looks just as good.

Granted the Oregon State game was the roughest outing of this study (and overall), but he still looks the part in the other two games. The talent is there.

The big thing for him this season will be getting the ball out of his hands faster, which is evidenced by 46 sacks in 2022. He shows he is capable of a quicker release, he just needs to do it consistently.

When he’s in a rhythm and getting the ball out quickly, he got it done. It’s when he holds the ball way too long that is my biggest concern (Oregon State).

On the plus side, there are three things that continue to stand out.

1. Leadership

As the QB goes, so goes the team, and in a QB-driven league, leadership is something that needs to be evaluated.

In 2022, Ward showed no issues making the jump from the FCS to the FBS while going from Incarnate Word to Washington State.

Not only did he look comfortable, he was in total command of the offense pre-snap, which is something that grabbed my attention. His body language says a lot. He looks sure of himself and what he’s doing out there.

Ward has this “air of confidence” about him.

He looks focused and determined when the cameras zoom up on his face. He even flexed after making a big play. He’s got it. He knows it, and he wants everyone else to know it too.

2. Efficiency

Ward is very efficient in the short to intermediate route levels when he gets the ball out of his hands in a timely manner.

He’s able to march the offense right down the field.

Ward has the patience to be able to keep chipping away at defenses, and he shows he has a high football IQ knowing where to go with the ball.

A big thing with Ward is his ball placement, which is often right on point. As I said, I wasn’t thrilled with the Oregon State game (46% completion percentage), but to his defense, there were a good number of dropped passes that even the television announcer mentioned a couple of times. I’m not one to always blame the receivers for dropped passes, but several throws hit them right in the hands and were dropped.

Overall, Ward looked efficient.

3. Athleticism

Ward maneuvers and moves around really well in the pocket. The ability to create and extend plays is one of his top attributes.

While he can pick up nice chunks of yardage on the ground from time to time, that’s not who he is. He’s a QB first and foremost, who can run if he needs to.

Despite the high number of sacks, he also was able to avoid a lot of them ducking and darting around in the pocket.

Ward is also productive rolling out, getting out of the pocket, and throwing on the go.

#1 Cameron Ward 6-foot-2, 220 pounds

Daniel Kelly’s Summer 2023 Grade: First-Round (I would select him)

Projected by 1.3% of the NFL Draft Community to be a first-round pick as of June 28, 2023 (nflmockdraftdatabase.com)

Previous article (2022: 5 games evaluated) Cameron Ward Reminds Former NFL Scout of Jalen Hurts

Additional 2022 game film reviewed: Oregon, CAL, and Oregon State (click to view games watched to form this evaluation)

2022 stats: 320/497 (64.4%), 3231 yards, 23 TD, 9 INT, 46 sacks, long-60

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report

Smooth and confident dual-threat with good arm strength and placement. Uptempo. Directs traffic. Good inside and outside the pocket. Advanced ball-handling skills. Sees the field well. Able to go through his progressions. Makes off-platform throws (side-arm and shovel passes). Best in the short to intermediate route levels. Zips it in (slants) or throws with touch. Inconsistent deep. Presence of mind to throw it away under pressure sometimes. Average ball security 11 passes disrupted in this study (3.66 avg) and 19x in 8 games overall (2.38 avg).

What to watch for during the 2023 college football season

1. Does he pick up where he left off?

2. Sack total?

3. Holding the ball too long?

4. Deep accuracy?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock and has written for Sports Illustrated Lions, Jets, and 49ers, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. He can be followed on Twitter @firstroundmock.