Ward, Canes in the Spotlight at Combine

INDIANAPOLIS – Last fall, quarterback Cam Ward broke records at Miami.

On Friday, he was among several Hurricanes – including wide receivers Xavier Restrepo, Jacolby George, and Sam Brown Jr., along with running back Damien Martinez – in the media spotlight at the NFL Combine.

In his wide-ranging and widely attended media session, Ward – a consensus All-American and the winner of both the Davey O’Brien Award and the Manning Award – touched on a variety of topics, including his leadership style, his top NFL quarterbacks and his journey from zero-star high school prospect to Heisman Trophy finalist.

And more than once, he credited his experience at Miami and his Hurricanes teammates and coaches with helping him grow into the player he is today.

“I think [being at Miami] helped me a lot, especially being in the building with [head] coach [Mario] Cristobal every day, and [offensive coordinator Shannon] Dawson as well,” Ward said. “The way those guys motivated me to do more each and every day, the way they wanted me to push myself even more to what I did, I just think me going there was a good decision. … The team that was there, they were willing to get to know me and vice versa. I’m just grateful, grateful that I did it.”

The Hurricanes – no doubt – are grateful Ward was in orange and green last year, too.

The quarterback led Miami to its first 10-win season since 2017, throwing for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns in the process. Both were single-season program records.

He led the nation in scoring passes, was second in passing yards and became the first Hurricane to earn ACC Player of the Year honors. Ward ultimately finished his college career with 158 passing touchdowns, breaking the NCAA Division I record of 155 set by Case Keenum at Houston from 2007-2011.

Now, the quarterback is turning his focus to the next step in his football journey: the NFL.

It’s an opportunity he says he’s been working for since his childhood in West Columbia, Texas.

“I just put my head down and work every day. I prayed about it. I’ve been praying for this moment since I was six, so you know, I’m blessed to be here,” Ward said. “A lot of us guys are blessed to be here, and I just think – to everybody who was in a situation like me, who’s still going to be in a situation like me not having scholarships and all of that – all you have to do is believe in God and work. Those two things, they’ll take care of everything.”

As to the pre-draft process, Ward shared Friday that he’s met with a series of NFL teams, including the Tennessee Titans, the Cleveland Browns and the Oakland Raiders, among others.

And he said he believes both he and former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders – a good friend of his – have the potential to have a lasting impact in the NFL.

Sanders, like Ward, is widely projected to be among the top picks in this year’s draft and the two have joked about which one of them will be selected first.

Ultimately, though, Ward said that won’t matter.

“I think we’ll both end up being one of the best quarterbacks in the league,” Ward said. “I think the work that me and him are willing to put in, the relationship we have to constantly compete each and every day, to better our craft for ourselves, I just think it’s going to end up paying off for us in the long run. … We play around. We joke around with [who will be selected first]. But it really don’t mean [anything]. Draft pick would never mean anything. At the end of the day, you’ve got to show [what] you can prove each and every Sunday. You can’t just do it one year … You’ve got to do it every time you step on the field.”

Restrepo, who had a record-breaking season of his own last fall at Miami, also discussed a wide range of topics.

The receiver, who also earned All-American honors last season, set new Miami records last year with his 200 career receptions and 2,844 career receiving yards.

He finished the 2024 season with 69 catches for 1,127 yards and 11 touchdowns and in 2023, set Miami’s single-season record with 85 catches.

On Friday, he detailed what playing at Miami meant to him, given that he grew up in South Florida.

“Playing for The U has always been my childhood dream,” said Restrepo, who hails from Coconut Creek. “You’re playing for the name on the back of the jersey, obviously, but playing for that U on the front is like no other. You create relationships that will last you a long time. Again, NFL legends walk around campus, and you see them and for them to know who you are, it’s just pretty sick. But again, putting on for the crib is like none other.”

Restrepo said he’s met with a series of teams during the pre-draft process, including the one that would allow him to continue his career at home: the Miami Dolphins.

If he were able to continue his career in South Florida, Restrepo said that, too, would be the stuff of dreams.

“Miami is a team that I’ve always grown up watching, so that would be pretty cool to play for them,” Restrepo said. “I mean, again, that would be super cool. I have a huge support system down there, huge fan base down there as well, so I’m pretty sure it would be awesome.”

Here’s more of what the Hurricanes had to say at the Combine on Friday, in their own words…

“I feel like it’s a great opportunity to be able to do it here, just because not a lot of people get this opportunity. I feel like everybody just has to make the most of the opportunity. … Just to know you have your brothers up here with you, just competing.”

– Wide Receiver Jacolby George, on what it means to be at the Combine with his Miami teammates

“It means a lot because it’s like 30 minutes away from my hometown. Being able to do that in front of my family, in front of the whole city, it means a lot because not everybody gets [the] opportunity to do it, and I made the most of my opportunity.”

– George, on what it meant to play for Miami, his hometown program

“What motivates me is just the people that said I couldn’t do it. Like, just coming out, just being young, all the people always told me that as a running back, I couldn’t catch when running the ball. But I’m here now. I’m one of the 50 receivers here. I’m just blessed to be here.”

– Wide receiver Sam Brown, on his motivation

“It was memorable. Like I said earlier, I’m a part of something special. People say we brought The U back. A lot of people can’t say that. … I’m a part of that. … I played with Cam Ward, a potential Heisman winner. I played with a lot of good players. A lot of people can’t say that.”

– Brown, on what it meant to play at Miami last fall

“Just being on Greentree, talking about all the legends that came through there, just the culture that was in the Canes family, and what it was, we brought it to practice every day, brought that energy. Just wanted to be great, like those guys.”

– Running back Damien Martinez, on playing at Miami

“You’ve just got to be able to do everything. Catch out of the backfield, run the ball hard … you have to be able to do it all and be a true three-down back. I feel like I’ve proved that this year and just going into tomorrow, running that 40, [I’ll] prove that, too.”

– Martinez, on what it takes to play running back in the NFL