Kevin Stefanski builds Cam Ward-Browns hype with thoughts on star Miami QB

Following their meeting at the NFL Combine this week, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski stated he was impressed with Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward. Cleveland holds the second pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and needs a QB with Deshaun Watson suffering a torn Achilles in October and reinjuring it last month.

With Watson hurt, former Florida State QB Jameis Winston went 2-5 in seven starts for Cleveland in 2024. Cleveland was 1-6 in Watson’s seven starts. Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe started the other two games for Cleveland, which finished 3-14 in 2024.

Ward is the consensus top overall pick in 2025 per the NFL Mock Draft Database. The Tennessee Titans hold the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. There have been rumors Tennessee is open to trading the first pick or drafting Ward or Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter.

Quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers are scheduled to work out Saturday at the NFL Combine. Although Cleveland led the NFL in pass attempts in 2024, they were 22nd in passing yards, 28th in touchdown passes and 32nd/last in interceptions and net yards per pass attempt.

Cam Ward impressed Browns HC Kevin Stefanski at the NFL Combine

“Very impressed with Cam as well. Just where he’s been. It’s a unique path. Knows football really well. Was impressed with his meeting in terms of his recall going back to Washington State days and how he saw defense, how he progressed, how his processing worked, how he talked through all that. I was very impressed with the young man.”

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski

Ward began his collegiate career at Football Bowl Subdivision Incarnate Word, transferred to Washington State where he was for a couple of seasons and then he spent his final year at Miami. Ward was the 2024 ACC Player of the Year, a consensus All-American and finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting.

Cleveland has had subpar QB play for a long time. Derek Anderson was the last Cleveland Pro Bowl QB in 2007. Cleveland has not had a first-team All-Pro since Brian Sipe was the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1980. More recently, Cleveland drafted Tim Couch in 1999 and Baker Mayfield in 2018 at QB with the first pick in the NFL Draft.

Since its rebirth in 1999, Cleveland has drafted nine QBs in the first round. In addition to Couch and Mayfield, Cleveland drafted QBs Brady Quinn in 2007, Brandon Weeden in 2012 and Johnny Manziel in 2014 with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the NFL Draft. Ward succeeding in Cleveland would continue his unique path if the AFC North side ends up drafting him.