The 2025 NFL Draft kicked off Thursday night with the Tennessee Titans selecting Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward with the first overall pick. Ward’s selection not only fulfills his NFL dream but also creates significant benefits for Miami head coach Mario Cristobal.
Cristobal, who just completed his third season with the Hurricanes after coaching at Oregon, joins an exclusive group in college football.
According to 247Sports’ Gaby Urrutia, Cristobal becomes just the fourth active college head coach to produce multiple first-round quarterbacks. The others are Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, Ohio State’s Ryan Day, and USC’s Lincoln Riley.
Cristobal’s first quarterback to go in the opening round was Justin Herbert, selected sixth overall in the 2020 NFL Draft when Cristobal coached at Oregon.
This achievement strengthens Cristobal’s recruiting position, which likely helped Miami land Georgia transfer Carson Beck earlier this year.
Beck withdrew from the 2025 NFL Draft process where he was projected as a mid-round selection. He’ll now try to follow Ward’s path to first-round status while facing pressure to improve on his inconsistent 2024 season at Georgia.
The Hurricanes might have another potential first-rounder on their roster in offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. The former five-star recruit enters the 2025 college football season as one of the nation’s top offensive line prospects.
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