Cam Ward’s head coach has a message for NFL teams who might be interested in the Miami star quarterback in next spring’s draft.
So, what will Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal tell those pro teams who might want to make Ward the centerpiece of their franchise for the next decade or so?
Cristobal appeared on ESPN’s “This Is Football” on Tuesday and was asked by host Kevin Clark about what exactly he would say to NFL executives who could potentially be throwing millions of dollars at Ward in a matter of months.
“His mindset is that of a linebacker who is trying to kick your ass on every single play. He’s an alpha dog,” said Cristobal about the Washington State transfer who has completely transformed the Hurricanes offense in 2024 and has Miami sitting at No. 6 in the latest AP Poll.
I asked Mario Cristobal what he’ll tell NFL teams when they call about Cam Ward.
“His mindset is that of a linebacker who is trying to kick your ass on every single play. He’s an alpha dog.”
Mario on NFL guys he recruited & Saban. Plus @JustinPugh. THIS IS FOOTBALL 2:30 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/8RtVN46vAV
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) October 15, 2024
While Ward might have the mindset of a linebacker, he is a quarterback, and one of the best ones in college football in 2024. Ward is a Heisman Trophy candidate who has already thrown for an astounding 2,219 yards with 20 touchdown passes and 5 interceptions. Ward also has a glossy 69.2 completion percentage and has rushed for 3 touchdowns, too.
The 6-foot-2, 223-pound senior is making Miami fans smile, and come next spring he’ll likely be hearing his name called by some NFL team that wants Ward to be their guy for a long time. And Cristobal wants those teams to know that his quarterback is no normal quarterback.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
