By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Cam Ward has gone from zero-star recruit to No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Travis Hunter is taking his versatility to Jacksonville following a blockbuster deal.
After the Tennessee Titans selected Ward first overall, the Jaguars moved up from No. 5 to select the Heisman Trophy winner with the second pick. Hunter, a playmaking wide receiver and cornerback at Colorado, wants to become the first full-time, two-way player in the NFL since Chuck Bednarik did it with the Philadelphia Eagles more than 60 years ago.
The Jaguars gave the Cleveland Browns a ton to give Hunter that opportunity. The Browns got Jacksonville’s first-round pick (No. 5), picks Nos. 36 and 126, and a first-rounder in 2026. The Jaguars also receive fourth- and sixth-round picks in this draft.
The Titans explored their options with the first pick before it became clear a few weeks ago that Ward would be their man.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement to kick off the draft, which for the first time was held next to historic Lambeau Field. The NFL’s smallest market is hosting the league’s biggest offseason event as thousands of fans from across the country traveled to Titletown for the festivities.
Goodell rode a bicycle onto the draft stage and was followed by former Packers stars Clay Matthews, Jordy Nelson, Mason Crosby, Ahman Green and James Jones, as well as rap megastar and Green Bay superfan Lil Wayne.
As usual, fans booed Goodell when he opened the extravaganza.
Titans fans cheered inside the draft theater after hearing Ward’s name was called. An overlooked high school player out of Texas, Ward began his college career at Incarnate Word, an FCS school in San Antonio. He played two seasons at Washington State after transferring there in 2022 and then set school records in his only season at Miami, finishing fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.
The Titans are coming off a three-win season and have missed the playoffs three straight years. Ward is the fourth quarterback Tennessee has drafted in the first round over the past two decades, joining Marcus Mariota (No. 2, 2015), Jake Locker (No. 8, 2011) and Vince Young (No. 3, 2006).
Mariota is the only QB drafted by Tennessee in that span who led the team to a playoff win. That was back in 2017.
Will Levis, the 33rd overall pick in 2023, is 5-16 as a starter in his two seasons with the Titans.
Ward led the country with 39 touchdown passes and finished second with 4,313 yards passing while leading the Hurricanes to a 10-3 record. Ward also had only seven interceptions and completed 67.2% of his passes.
Hunter wore a neon pink blazer and flashed a big smile after the Jaguars selected him. He caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns while making 35 tackles, breaking up 11 passes and picking off four.
The New York Giants selected Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter with the No. 3 overall pick.
Carter, who led the country with 23½ tackles for loss and had 12 sacks last season, bolsters a Giants defense that already has solid pass rushers in Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns and a strong D-line that includes Pro Bowler Dexter Lawrence.
The speedy and explosive Carter was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American pick last season and steadily saw his draft stock soar.
Carter, a native of Philadelphia, was originally a traditional linebacker during his first two seasons at Penn State before moving to defensive end last year. The move paid off as the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Carter’s athleticism and elite first step off the ball immediately made him one of college football’s most dominant pass rushers.
This story will be updated periodically.
First-round draft order:
4. New England Patriots
5. Cleveland Browns (trade with Jacksonville)
6. Las Vegas Raiders
7. N.Y. Jets
8. Carolina Panthers
9. New Orleans Saints
10. Chicago Bears
11. San Francisco 49ers
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Miami Dolphins
14. Indianapolis Colts
15. Atlanta Falcons
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Cincinnati Bengals
18. Seattle Seahawks
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. Denver Broncos
21. Pittsburgh Steelers
22. Chargers
23. Green Bay Packers
24. Minnesota Vikings
25. Houston Texans
26. Rams
27. Baltimore Ravens
28. Detroit Lions
29. Washington Commanders
30. Buffalo Bills
31. Kansas City Chiefs
32. Philadelphia Eagles
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