The New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders are being identified as the most aggressive teams pursuing quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL Draft, as stated by The MMQB’s Albert Breer.

In line with their strategy, both franchises dispatched “high-level executives” to observe Miami’s Cam Ward at the Pop-Tarts Bowl and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders at the Alamo Bowl.

Ward and Sanders are both considered top-tier quarterbacks for the 2025 NFL Draft class, ranking eighth and ninth, respectively, on Bleacher Report’s big board. The next quarterback, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, is listed at No. 37.

While many star players increasingly opt out of bowl games, diminishing their status as final showcases, the confirmation of Sanders and Ward’s participation ensured they received significant attention from NFL scouts.

Ward’s performance in the Pop-Tarts Bowl is particularly noteworthy. At halftime, he had amassed 190 yards and three touchdowns, helping Miami lead Iowa State 31-28, but he opted out of the second half, and the Hurricanes ultimately lost 42-41.

Head coach Mario Cristobal did not elaborate on Ward’s decision to sit out the second half, nor did he clarify if it was pre-planned.

For draft prospects, opting out of a bowl game is typically benign, but stepping out mid-game carries a different connotation. Many view such a decision as a cardinal sin in the eyes of talent evaluators.

As NFL scouts scrutinize every aspect of a player’s performance, expect the Pop-Tarts Bowl to be a recurring topic of discussion regarding Ward.

Nonetheless, Ward’s talents may be so exceptional that this incident won’t impact his draft prospects.

Ultimately, this scenario could produce an exercise in confirmation bias.

For scouts who already had reservations about Ward, the perception that he “quit” mid-game could justify passing on him in the first round.

As the pre-draft process unfolds, it will become clear where the Raiders and Giants stand in evaluating these top quarterback prospects.