%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20width%3D%2239px%22%20height%3D%2240px%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2039%2040%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%200%200%2039%2040%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M38.5%2C7H28.2v26h10.3V7z%22%2F%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M26.1%2C25.5c0%2C5.8-4.1%2C7.5-12.9%2C7.5C3.9%2C33%2C0%2C31.2%2C0%2C25.2v-1.1h11.6%0A%09v2.4c0%2C0.7%2C0.1%2C1.4%2C1.2%2C1.4c1%2C0%2C1.2-0.4%2C1.2-1.3v-0.9c0-1.6-0.9-1.6-3.5-2.2C2.2%2C21.7%2C0%2C19.7%2C0%2C15.3v-0.9C0%2C9.3%2C5.5%2C7%2C12.9%2C7%0A%09c10.2%2C0%2C12.8%2C2.6%2C12.8%2C7.4v1.8h-11v-2.9c0-0.6-0.4-1.1-1.2-1.1c-0.6%2C0-1.2%2C0.4-1.2%2C1.1v0.9c0%2C1.5%2C0.9%2C2%2C3.3%2C2.5%0A%09c8%2C1.6%2C10.5%2C3.3%2C10.5%2C7.5V25.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Mel Kiper Jr. Explains Why NFL Teams Love One QB the Most in Latest Mock Draft
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. dropped his second mock draft of the year on Tuesday, and the biggest surprise was former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders falling all the way to the New York Jets at No. 7.
The longtime draft analyst, however, still has Sanders above Cam Ward in his QB rankings but thinks the former Miami signal-caller will go No. 2 to the Cleveland Browns. Why? Because it seems like everyone in the NFL loves Ward more than Sanders just a few months from draft night.
Here's how Kiper broke down his pick of Ward to the Browns:
I have Sanders ranked slightly ahead of Ward in my own rankings, but mock drafts are supposed to represent what the league thinks and what is likely to happen. And right now, Ward is the consensus QB1 in the class. He can make tough throws from different arm angles, on the move and under duress. His creativity in and out of the pocket and his arm strength are impressive, leading to 39 touchdown passes in his final college season.
Deshaun Watson has been disappointing in Cleveland since the Browns pulled off their megatrade in 2022 and is now out after tearing his right Achilles for the second time in three months. So the Browns need an answer under center, and getting a potential franchise guy on a rookie contract could help them turn things around quickly and soften the blow of Watson's contract weighing down the team's salary cap.
The Browns have been a mess since signing DeShaun Watson to a huge deal a few years ago. Bringing on Ward could be the perfect reset for a franchise that has grown used to going through resets.
More From Around the NFL
Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.