The 2025 NFL Draft is just days away, and the future of Colorado QB prospect Shedeur Sanders is still up in the air. Initially considered a candidate to be taken first overall, the contrasting variation in his draft projections makes Sanders difficult to pin down.
ESPN analyst Jeff Legwold believes that Sanders’ two key weaknesses—one being his inability to throw the ball quickly — could further hurt his draft stock.
NFL Analyst Reveals Two Major Weaknesses of Shedeur Sanders
Among the several narratives that have followed Sanders amid the pre-draft process, a perceived lack of athleticism has been a frequent feature. Legwold agrees somewhat and highlighted Sanders’ undersized profile and lack of ability to throw the ball quickly as his two biggest weaknesses.
“When he sets his feet in a clean pocket, Sanders shows the best mechanics and accuracy of any quarterback in this draft. His 71.8% completion rate in two seasons at Colorado is an FBS career record. But he is undersized and doesn’t throw the ball quickly, which partially explains why he took an FBS-leading 94 sacks the past two seasons,” he wrote in his article, which ranked Sanders as the 32nd best player in the 2025 NFL Draft class.
Sanders, who stands at 6’1” and 212 pounds (both less than the average measurements of an NFL QB), faced relentless pressure in the pocket in 2024, and his reluctance to give up on plays saw him sacked 42 times. That is almost twice the consensus QB1, Cam Ward, was brought down in the backfield.
But while those sacks contributed to Sanders’ yards-per-carry average, it doesn’t hide his lack of athleticism.
Despite being sacked 38 times in 2023 and 48 times in 2022, Cam Ward managed to maintain a positive average yards-per-carry rate throughout his college career. Sanders, on the other hand, recorded negative rushing averages in three of his four collegiate seasons.
Sanders’ PFSN Draft Profile Raises Familiar Concerns
It’s not just Legwold that appears to be put off by Sanders’ athletic inefficiencies. The player’s PFSN Draft Profile by Jacob Infante suggests his athletic limitations may prevent him from becoming one of the league’s better quarterbacks.
“There’s some mental development that needs to take place for Sanders. He’s shown that he’s capable of making full-field reads, but he tends to play Superman when he doesn’t have the raw physical talent to make that work.”
“His arm, though acceptable, isn’t particularly special. He’s not a statue in the pocket, but his athleticism is average. These issues can see him try too hard to extend plays that he simply can’t make, resulting in sacks or poor throws.”
While the projection credits Sanders with the ability to have a successful career in the NFL, it does pour cold water on the idea of him transforming a franchise. Though many factions of the media remain hopeful for Sanders, there is just as much doubt.
The lack of consensus regarding the player’s ability makes him one of the most intriguing players in the draft, as does the lack of clarity regarding which team he’ll represent.
For now, he is projected to be picked No. 9 overall by the New Orleans Saints in PFSN’s latest seven-round mock draft by Ian Cummings.
