Washington State QB Cam Ward Declares for 2024 NFL Draft amid FSU, Miami Interest

After initially entering the transfer portal, Washington State quarterback Cam Ward announced Monday that he is instead entering the 2024 NFL draft.

Ward made the announcement in a brief video posted on X, formerly known as Twitter:

The 21-year-old from Lake Jackson, Texas, spent the past two seasons as Washington State's starter, and according to ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, he met with the University of Miami and Florida State last month while considering potential transfer options.

Ward started his collegiate career at FCS Incarnate Word, and after exploding for 47 touchdown passes in 2021, he transferred to WSU.

In his first season as the Cougars' starter in 2022, Ward went 7-6 and completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 3,232 yards, 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions, while also rushing for five scores.

Washington State took a step back this season with a 5-7 mark, but Ward progressed individually, completing 66.6 percent of his passing attempts for 3,736 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven picks, He rushed for eight touchdowns as well.

Ward was arguably the most highly sought after player available in the transfer portal, but with his decision to enter the NFL draft, quarterback-needy programs like Miami and FSU must now explore other options.

Entering the draft is a somewhat surprising choice since Ward will be part of what figures to be a stacked class for quarterbacks.

North Carolina's Drake Maye, the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner in USC's Caleb Williams and the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner in LSU's Jayden Daniels are all likely to enter the draft, and all of them could be top-five picks.

On the BR NFL Scouting Department's latest 2024 NFL draft big board released on Nov. 29, Ward was not listed as a top-100 prospect, putting him behind Maye, Williams, Daniels, Oregon's Bo Nix, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, Washington's Michael Penix Jr. and Georgia's Carson Beck at the quarterback position at minimum.

Mid-to-late-round quarterbacks have made an impact in the NFL in recent years, though, including Brock Purdy, who the San Francisco 49ers took with the last pick in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft.

Also, 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell and 2023 fourth-round pick Aidan O'Connell established themselves as starters this year for the Washington Commanders and Las Vegas Raiders, respectively.

Ward has the college production and skill set to potentially follow in their footsteps, but his draft stock will likely depend heavily on his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine and his pro day.