The 2025 NFL Draft is just days away, and the future of Colorado quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders is still up in the air. Sanders was initially considered a candidate to be taken first overall, but the enormous variation in the player’s draft projections makes him an impossible player to pin down.
In the opinion of NFL insider Jordan Schultz, though, there is one particular narrative surrounding Sanders that is well wide of the mark.
Jordan Schultz Defends Shedeur Sanders’ Athleticism
Among the many narratives that have followed Sanders throughout the pre-draft process, a perceived lack of athleticism has been a consistent knock on the quarterback prospect.
Except for Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, all of the draft’s top quarterback prospects are considered pocket passers. But while many of the other quarterbacks in the class have been talked up for their ability to make plays with their legs when necessary, Sanders’ mobility has been downplayed. According to Schultz, though, that’s unfair.
During a recent appearance on “Speak” for Fox Sports, Schultz defended Sanders, claiming that the quarterback has more than enough athleticism to succeed in the NFL.
“This has been bothering me all week, and it’s been bothering me, honestly, throughout the entire draft process. Shedeur Sanders, just because he is not an electric runner, doesn’t mean he’s not a good athlete. He is a good athlete, and if you watch him, you know that. And too many smart NFL people [that] I trust have told me, ‘He is a good enough mover, is smart enough to manipulate the pocket, and accurate enough.”
Schultz then went on to suggest that the New York Giants should take Sanders if he falls to Pick 3, stating that it would be “a home run” for the team.
“He’s very smart; he’s been around the game his entire life; his game will translate to the next level. I really like Shedeur Sanders, and I think [the] Giants, at three, [would be] a home run.”
The “Shedeur Sanders isn’t a good athlete” narrative needs to go.
(via @SpeakOnFS1)pic.twitter.com/77OlOYElos
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report)
Latest PFSN Mock Draft Sends Sanders to Cleveland
While Schultz would love the Giants to draft Sanders, they may never get the opportunity. With both the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns also in need of a franchise quarterback, the Giants may be out of luck by the time they’re on the clock.
That’s the case in the latest three-round Mock Draft from PFSN, which has the Browns taking Sanders with the second overall pick.
“There are multiple avenues the Cleveland Browns could take here, but their most pressing need is at the quarterback position. Cleveland finished the 2024 season last in our Offense+ metric, as one of only two teams to post an F grade (along with the New York Giants).”
Wherever Sanders ends up in 2025, Schultz clearly believes that the young quarterback has what it takes to compete at the next level. While no team wants to be the one that gambled and lost on Sanders, the cost of missing out on a franchise quarterback could be felt for decades.
