Speculation continues to rage over where Shedeur Sanders will be selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Having initially been considered a contender to be picked first overall, the growing sentiment is that he could fall, potentially out of the top 10.
The Ringer’s NFL Draft expert Todd McShay has recently gone a step further. He predicted Sanders would be the third quarterback taken in April’s draft, with the Colorado standout falling all the way down to No. 15 in the first round.
Todd McShay Predicts Shedeur Sanders Being Overtaken by Jaxson Dart
It’s the time of the year when the smallest thing can swing the narrative of a player ahead of the NFL Draft. No player is feeling that right now more than Shedeur Sanders. The polarizing prospect has seen his draft stock absorb multiple hits throughout this year’s pre-draft process.
Jaxson Dart, meanwhile, has had his reputation boosted from a second-round prospect into a consensus first-round pick. While Sanders has been punished for being ranked so highly in the first place, Dart has appeared to profit from the situation. Draft analysts and plugged-in reporters keep pushing the two players closer together in the rankings.
Multiple NFL teams have Jaxson Dart rated over Shedeur Sanders, per @nfldraftscout.
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/FerqaTfnc2
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) April 11, 2025
McShay has recently taken it way beyond that, suggesting that Dart will overtake Sanders. In his recent Mock Draft, McShay sends Dart to the New Orleans Saints with the ninth pick, pointing to new head coach Kellen Moore as the reason.
“New Saints head coach Kellen Moore has served as offensive coordinator with the Cowboys, Chargers, and Eagles where he has coached Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts,” McShay said. “Those passers are far from identical, but all three have mobility and stronger arms — two qualities possessed by Dart, not Shedeur Sanders.”
McShay also notes that Moore attended Dart’s Ole Miss Pro Day but skipped Sanders’ Colorado Pro Day. However, Moore’s absence in Colorado could be attributed to the fact that Dart has an outside chance of being available at the Saints’ second pick, whereas Sanders almost certainly does not.
Browns Trade Up To Pair Sanders With Travis Hunter
McShay has the Cleveland Browns trading back into the first round to take Sanders at 15. The Browns send a second, a third, and a future second-rounder to the Atlanta Falcons to land their quarterback. The Browns draft Travis Hunter at No. 2 overall to complete a reunion between the two college teammates from Colorado.
“If next year’s first [rounder] is required to make a deal, it doesn’t make sense. They would’ve just taken Sanders at No. 2 if they liked him that much,” McShay said. “But a third-rounder this year and a second next year is reasonable, especially since they have an extra third (94th overall). It’s going to come down to cost analysis for Browns GM Andrew Berry.”
Interestingly, the latest three-round Mock Draft from PFSN’s Joe DeLeone also has Sanders joining the Browns and Dart joining the Saints. However, DeLeone sends Sanders to Cleveland at No. 2, while Dart slides to New Orleans in the second round.