By The Associated Press

The NFL draft kicks off Thursday night and Miami quarterback Cam Ward is still the overwhelming favorite to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans.

After that, there should be a lot more intrigue.

Colorado’s two-way star, Travis Hunter, and his quarterback teammate Shedeur Sanders, Penn State’s Abdul Carter, Michigan’s Mason Graham and LSU’s Will Campbell are all expected to be among the early picks.

Sanders — son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders — is among a contingent of legacy players in this year’s draft and also one of the more polarizing prospects.

Read more: Deion Sanders laments criticism son Shedeur faces ahead of NFL draft but says he’s ‘built for this’

There’s also a bit of a running back renaissance in the NFL these days, with teams eyeing Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton in the first round.

Ward has tried to solidify his status as the top pick over the last few months, working out for all 32 NFL teams at Miami’s on-campus pro day.

“They finally got to see me throw in person. That should be all they need to see,” Ward said. “At the end of the day, if they want to give me the pick or not, I’m going to be happy with whatever team I go to. I just want to play football.”

Advanced analytics have de-emphasized the running back position over the past decade, but the performances of stars like Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley and Baltimore’s Derrick Henry have front offices thinking more about spending a high pick on the position.

Read more: Running backs could get a boost in this year’s draft thanks to success of Saquon Barkley.

Ward and Sanders are the top quarterback prospects, though they won’t necessarily be the first two picks like Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels in 2024 and Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud in 2023.

Carter and Hunter are also highly rated prospects, meaning that a non-QB could theoretically be the No. 1 overall selection for the first time since defensive end Travon Walker was the top pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2022.

Mock drafts: Associated Press, CBS Sports, ESPN

NFL Draft

First round: Thursday, 8 p.m.

Second and third rounds: Friday, 7 p.m.

Fourth through seventh rounds: Saturday, Noon

Where: Green Bay, Wisconsin

How to watch: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network

What will Panthers do?: Most mock drafts see the Panthers addressing their defensive needs with the No. 8 overall pick. Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker, who is from Salisbury, has been a popular pick.

But Carolina could attempt to add another weapon, especially at receiver, for quarterback Bryce Young. Or the Panthers could trade down to stockpile more draft selections. Carolina has nine picks in the seven-round draft, including three fifth rounders.

Panthers Playbook: Potential trade scenarios for the Panthers on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft

Panthers Playvbook: Carolina’s offense needs speed

NC high school alums in the draft: Walker (Salisbury High) and Hampton (Cleveland High School) are expected to be first-round picks. They could be joined by Tennessee edge James Pearce Jr. (Julius L. Chambers High School in Charlotte).

Several other NC high school alums could be chosen later in the draft. Full list here.

NC collegiates in the draft: Six UNC players were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, a decent (though not perfect) gauge of draft status. In addition to Hampton, linebacker Power Echols, defensive back Alijah Huzzie, tight end Bryson Nesbit and defensive linemen Kaimon Rucker and Jahvaree Ritzie were invited.
NC State offensive lineman Anthony Belton and East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. were also invited to the combine.

Other draft stories:

From 8-team football to competitive CrossFit, some prospects took a different road to the NFL draft

Long journey to the NFL draft is only the beginning for college prospects aiming to make the pros

NFL draft suits give prospects another way to cash in on their fame, flash their style on red carpet

After a crash course in football from ‘Last Chance U,’ Mapalo Mwansaw hopes to walk NFL draft stage

First-round order

1) Tennessee Titans
2) Cleveland Browns
3) New York Giants
4) New England Patriots
5) Jacksonville Jaguars
6) Las Vegas Raiders
7) New York 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) Los Angeles Chargers
23) Green Bay Packers
24) Minnesota Vikings
25) Houston Texans
26) Los Angeles Rams
27) Baltimore Ravens
28) Detroit Lions
29) Washington Commanders
30) Buffalo Bills
31) Kansas City Chiefs
32) Philadelphia Eagles

Source: wralsportsfan.com