Cam Ward to Teams Who May Skip Him in NFL Draft: 'That's Your Fault,' 'I'll Remember'

Cam Ward has a word of warning to any teams that pass on the opportunity to draft him in April.

"If you don't draft me, that's your fault," he said in a Monday article by Stephen Hawkins of the Associated Press. "You've got to remember you're the same team that's got to play me for the rest of my career, and I'll remember that."

The comment was in response to a question about how he will answer teams that press him about not playing the second half of Miami's 42-41 loss to Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in December.

Ward broke Case Keenum's Division I record of 156 career touchdown passes prior to halftime and didn't play in the second half, which set the stage for the Cyclones' comeback.

Yet in an age when many top draft prospects opt out of bowl games entirely, he still played in the first half and was on the sidelines supporting his teammates in the second. He also said the plan to do so was predetermined by him and the entire coaching staff, so it wasn't a surprise to the Hurricanes in the moment.

The biggest question surrounding Ward at this point is whether he will be the No. 1 overall pick of the draft.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected him to be exactly that in its most recent mock draft, pointing out the Tennessee Titans "have a crying need at quarterback that must be addressed, particularly when they're in a perfect position to do so" with the top pick.

Tennessee picking Ward would mean no team passed on him and put itself in position to regret doing so.

But the Titans still could if they decide they like Colorado's Shedeur Sanders by draft day. Or perhaps they will go against choosing a quarterback with the first pick entirely and instead select Penn State's Abdul Carter or Colorado's Travis Hunter.

That could set Ward up to fall to the Cleveland Browns at No. 2 or the New York Giants at No. 3.

And it would serve as significant motivation every time he played against the Titans if his latest comments are any indication.