QB CAMERON WARD
(on where his conviction and confidence in himself against all odds comes from)
Really myself. I've had a dream since I was a little kid. I had bigger aspirations than being just a draft pick. But I just think I just wanted it more. I have a true love for the game of football and I believe in God. And if you've got hard work and God on your side, a lot of stuff can take care of itself.
(on when in the process he felt like he was going to be the Titans' guy)
I thought I was their guy all along. I let the tape do a lot of talking, but I think just once they got to finally meet me face to face and watch film with me, it just helped my case. Coach (Brian) Callahan, he's a great head coach. He's a great offensive mind. He's had a lot success with previous quarterbacks. I'm hoping I can be his next project.
(on his leadership style and how it has changed over his career)
I don't know how to describe my leadership quality. I'm not a big 'rah-rah' guy, but I think I hold people accountable at times when they need to be held accountable. At the end of the day, it's all about are you getting better one day at a time? And it's about creating relationships with your teammates. If you want to go and try to get on somebody and you're not doing the work, it's not going to happen overnight. And so, I'm big on actually knowing you're guys in the locker room instead of just playing football with them, and I think that's helped me in my career.
(on Brian Callahan and Mike Borgonzi talking about his spatial awareness and where that comes from)
I agree with it a lot. I think to be a good quarterback, no matter what level you play, you have to be able to see space and be on time. And I just think every offense that I ran in college at all three of my stops has helped me to get through progressions better, be a better quarterback. Every year I've gotten better in my career and I plan on doing the same next year.
(on the Titans phone call when he was informed they were drafting him)
It was special. It was real special to me. I think it was more special to my parents just because of what they put in financially and time-wise to give me the everywhere I need to be. But it's a moment you don't take for granted. I lived in it and I decided that I was able to end up in a good franchise like Tennessee.
(on how he would describe his game and expectations he has for himself as a pro)
I would describe my game as a play-making pocket passer. I love getting the whole receiving corps and the running backs the ball. I just think what I expect out of my career is to be one of the best quarterback to ever put it on. That's the aspiration that I had on myself since I was a kid. And I think as long as I'm willing to work hard, be a good teammate, and keep believing in God, it'll work out for me.
(on the process of pulling out of the Draft last year)
It was a good process, so I did it on my timing. It's a lot of people out there that said I shouldn't have did it, but at the end of the day, the only opinion of me that matters is myself. I write my own book and I just think the stuff that I went through in the past just helped put me in this position. So I mean, I'm blessed. I can't complain. I get to live and walk another day and I'm excited to be a Tennessee Titan.
(on the Titans turning down offers to trade the number one pick, calling a franchise quarterback priceless)
It means a lot. It just shows how much belief they have in me as a person and as a quarterback. But I mean, I'm honored. Any time you get a chance to be a franchise quarterback, any chance you get to lead a group of guys who want to win every game, it's a blessing. But I'm ready for it. I've asked for it from God. He delivered and I'm just trying to pay my dues to it.
(on what he envisions as the biggest challenge as he moves from college to the NFL)
Right now, I'd say the biggest challenge right now will be learning all my teammates' names. I've got to learn that really fast, and other than that, it's all about playing football. I've watched a lot of tape on NFL teams, and I just think the game will move a certain pace on how the quarterback can see the field. I'm a big believer in that, and it's all about ball placement and timing, in my opinion, at the quarterback position. If you have those two things, a lot still will work out.
(on who in the Titans organization other than Brian Callahan gives him confidence that he will develop)
I think the O-line and receivers can make me the quarterback that I want to be. At the end of the day, it's more than just about me, and we all have a job to do. So I just think my teammates will be able to uplift me. The receivers making plays, the O-line keeping people off of myself, and also helping us in the run game. So I think everybody's contribution will eventually get me to being one of the best quarterbacks.
(on the Jaguars trading up to select Travis Hunter right after him at the second overall pick and facing him and Jacksonville twice a year)
That's a great pick for them. He's an unbelievable player. I got a chance to play against Travis (Hunter) at Washington State. He can go both ways. He's the Heisman Trophy winner. So they made a good pick by selecting him. And I'm just blessed to be in a draft class like this. I think we're one of the most talented draft classes out there. And Travis is going to be able to make some good plays for those guys.
(on how he plans to celebrate tonight)
Go back to the hotel, pack up, go to sleep. Get ready to head to Nashville tomorrow.
(on quarterbacks that he has enjoyed watching or patterned his game after)
I love watching Aaron Rodgers, especially how he can move in the pocket with little movements and getting the ball out. I think he's one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever do it.
(on why he believes he can turn the Titans organization around)
I just think my journey, what I've been through. I really don't care what the outside world sees me as. The only thing I care about is my teammates in the building. So those are the only things that really matter to me. And at the end of the day, I just want to win football games.
(on how the changes in college environments and different locker rooms helped prepare him to be who he is now)
It's helped me a lot, especially the locker room at Washington State. I think that's why I really learned to get to know my teammates a little bit better. Then it translated over to Miami. So, I got a chance to play with three good teams, three different locker rooms, and I think it's helped get to this point in my career. Those three locker rooms helped me be the first overall pick, and I'm forever grateful for those guys, and those are relationships that will last a lifetime.
(on having University of Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson on hand at the Draft with him tonight)
It added a lot, especially with those two being my last two college coaches. What they did for me, just recruiting-wise to get me to Miami. And then just what we were able to accomplish in my short time in Miami. So, I'm forever grateful for those two.
(on the expectations flipping from an underdog story to now the number one pick)
Nothing flipped for me. Still a lot of people out there who'll be talking crazy, maybe some of y'all in that room. So, the only thing that matters to me is my locker room and the coaching staff and the support staff in the building. So, we plan on changing things around, but it only starts one day at a time. We just got to keep working.
(on what made him the competitor he is)
I just think how I was brought up. We were a big basketball family. I'm the youngest of all my siblings, and also just my journey. I've lost a lot. I've won a lot at the same time. So, I've learned how to handle adversity in the right way. You never get too high, you never get too low. And I just think every situation you've got to be able to learn from it.
(on if he always believed he would be on the NFL Draft stage when he was a zero-star recruit at Incarnate Ward)
I've always believed it. I've always believed it, just the little things that my quarterback coaches and my dad would keep telling me, just keep going. Even when the times were rough. There's not a lot of people who could throw the football like me, and I make sure, try to put a statement on every chance I get to play a game.
(on his line between confidence and cockiness and if he believes he walks that line)
I believe in God. People can say I walk that line all the time, but at the end of the day, they probably don't know the first thing about me. So, none of that will really ever matter to me. I don't care what the outside world thinks. I only care what the locker room thinks of me.
