There hasn’t been a quarterback prospect as polarizing as Shedeur Sanders in a long time. Part of that comes from his outspoken father, former NFL legend Deion Sanders. Deion is not only Shedeur’s father, but he was also his head coach.
That fact has only added more questions about Shedeur Sanders’ NFL readiness. There are concerns about the level of competition the Colorado Buffaloes faced and about Sanders’ overall talent. Some believe he’s being pushed up NFL Draft boards more for his pedigree than his ability.
Is Pittsburgh All In on Shedeur Sanders?
Few coaches in the NFL value pedigree as much as Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. The longest-tenured head coach in the league, Tomlin has led the Steelers to two Super Bowl appearances, winning one.
Since Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement, Tomlin has been searching for a true successor at quarterback. Now, many insiders believe he’s found that in Sanders.
That’s what PFSN’s most recent mock draft shows, and according to draft expert Todd McShay, Tomlin is reportedly adamant about taking Sanders with their first-round pick.
“As I’ve said multiple times over the past couple of weeks, Mike Tomlin and Sanders did hit it off during the pre-draft process — any reports to the contrary are false,” McShay said regarding his prediction.
McShay also added that Tomlin carries significant influence at the team facility. Now entering his 19th season in Pittsburgh, Tomlin has more control over personnel decisions than ever. That’s especially true since Omar Khan was promoted to general manager following Kevin Colbert’s departure.
While Colbert and Tomlin worked well together, the former often had final say on roster moves. That power now rests largely with Tomlin.
“The info I’m getting is that there’s a strong likelihood Tomlin is going to push the organization to draft Sanders,” McShay said. “I think there’s a better than 50/50 chance that Sanders will be a Steeler by the end of the night. It’s worth noting that there are voices in the organization who are not behind this decision.”
McShay also suggested that if the Steelers pass on Sanders at pick No. 21, there’s a chance he could fall into Round 2.
Are the Steelers Reaching Again?
McShay noted that the ghost of Kenny Pickett might still be lingering in Pittsburgh’s front office.
Pickett was taken 20th overall in 2022 after playing at the University of Pittsburgh. Since the Steelers and Pitt share facilities, the coaching staff was already very familiar with him.
When Pittsburgh selected Pickett, many analysts believed it was a reach. The 2022 draft class, much like this one, lacked clear top-tier QB talent. So far, the best quarterback from that group has been Brock Purdy — the final pick in the draft. He’s outperformed Pickett, Malik Willis and Desmond Ridder by a wide margin.
With so many questions surrounding Sanders, McShay said it’s understandable why the Steelers might hesitate. They need a quarterback who can keep pace in an AFC North that includes Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson.
