Chad Johnson leaves out Travis Hunter from discussion while hailing Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart's debut: "Looked like veterans with 10+ years of experience"

Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart were among the top rookies who made their NFL preseason debuts this weekend. Ward is expected to immediately serve as the Tennessee Titans' starting quarterback this year, while Dart will need to compete for playing time in a crowded New York Giants depth chart.

Their individual performances received high praise from Chad Johnson during a recent episode of "Nightcap." The former wide receiver and current NFL analyst expressed his excitement to watch them play this year, but he interestingly left Travis Hunter out of this particular discussion.

Johnson stated:

"Some rookies I saw today were so poised in the pocket. Most times, rookies get nervous when pressure comes, but these guys looked like veterans with 10+ years of experience. Their pocket presence and calmness under pressure stood out."

Johnson then continued to rave about Ward and Dart, specifically giving them credit for their maturity, despite their inexperience. He apparently believes this will help them perform during their rookie seasons.

Johnson said:

"Cam Ward showed it. Jaxson Dart showed it, too. And obviously, we saw Shedeur last night with that same calmness and poise. You can see the leadership in how they carry themselves."

Chad Johnson also pointed out Shedeur Sanders' highly anticipated debut for the Cleveland Browns as yet another impressive rookie performance this weekend. Sanders was once thought of as a top prospect alongside Ward, but he epically plummeted in the 2025 NFL draft.

This could be a step in the right direction for him, though his outlook doesn't appear nearly as bright as Ward's at this point.

Chad Johnson hypes up Titans rookie QB Cam Ward for 2025 NFL season

QB Cam Ward

Chad Johnson pointed out that Cam Ward hasn't received as much hype as most quarterbacks picked number-one in NFL draft history. He apparently believes this could benefit the Tennessee Titans this season, as it could relieve some of the pressure for Ward to immediately perform well. He also referenced how encouraging his preseason debut was.

Johnson explained:

"Cam didn't play much, small sample size, but you could tell he's sharp and well coached. Not just here at the NFL level, but before that, too. It takes time to look that comfortable and confident.

"I'm excited for the Tennessee Titans fans and what they have with their number-one pick. I just don't like how he's been overshadowed since the draft.

"This is probably the least talked about number-one pick. Most number-one picks gets tons of pressure to perform, especially going to a team that was the worst last year, but he seems to have gone under-the-radar."

Johnson believes that the Titans have good reasons to be excited about Cam Ward as their new starting quarterback. They likely won't have to wait long to see him in real game action as he's expected to be their immediate starter, especially after Will Levis suffered a season-ending injury. The door is wide open for the rookie to win the job.