The 2025 NFL Draft brought one of the more shocking moments in recent memory with the fall of Shedeur Sanders. A potential QB1 near the start of the draft process, the Colorado Buffaloes star saw his stock take a hit in the weeks leading up to April 24. But a complete Day 1 omission didn’t seem likely.
Yet that’s what happened. In fact, Sanders fell all the way to Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. After talks of a potential top-three landing spot, the son of Deion Sanders is still on the board in the fourth round.
The situation was so surprising that it even drew a heated response from President Donald Trump.
President Donald Trump Criticizes Shedeur Sanders’ Fall
President Donald Trump and Deion Sanders have never been publicly known to have a personal relationship. Across three election cycles, Sanders never endorsed Trump or any of his opponents.
Aside from a brief interaction where Trump reportedly tried to sell the Hall of Famer a Manhattan apartment, and Shilo Sanders once compared himself to the President, there has not been much connection between the families.
Still, Trump didn’t hold back while criticizing the NFL over the situation.
“What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID? Deion Sanders was a great college football player and was even greater in the NFL,” President Trump posted on social media. “He’s also a very good coach, streetwise and smart!
“Therefore, Shedeur, his quarterback son, has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness. He should be ‘picked’ IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!”
President Donald Trump on NFL teams passing on Shedeur Sanders in Round 1: pic.twitter.com/kFogXmsRoG
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 25, 2025
Sanders’ slide came as a shock to almost everyone, especially given the general consensus around the Buffaloes’ superstar. Even as his stock dipped, the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 seemed like logical fits. However, they prioritized their defense and then proceeded to pass on Sanders in the third round as well.
Now, five quarterbacks have been picked ahead of Sanders: Cam Ward (Titans), Jaxson Dart (Giants), Tyler Shough (Saints), Jalen Milroe (Seahawks), and Dillon Gabriel (Browns).
Where could Sanders land on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft?
Possible Landing Spots For Sanders
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are the only team remaining in the draft with a clear need at quarterback. Sanders visited the Steelers during his pre-draft visits, and many reports had Pittsburgh at No. 21 as the furthest the quarterback would fall. However, the Steelers picked Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, and Sanders continued to fall.
Pittsburgh is still looking for a QB. With Mason Rudolph brought back in free agency, and Aaron Rodgers still a possibility, Sanders could be the long-term quarterback the organization desperately needs. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Sanders “remains an option” for Pittsburgh even though the team didn’t draft him in the third round.
The Steelers are picking 123rd overall in the fourth round, and given Sanders’ free fall so far, he is likely to be available by then. If Pittsburgh selects him, Sanders would walk into a stable organization, giving them both a starter and a potential franchise quarterback.
Las Vegas Raiders
With a new minority owner in Tom Brady and a new head coach in Pete Carroll, the Las Vegas Raiders want to build an instant playoff contender. Bringing in Geno Smith off his career-best season in which he recorded 4,320 passing yards (fourth in the league) and led the Seattle Seahawks to a 10-7 finish, gives Vegas a solid veteran for the job.
But if the Raiders are thinking long-term, finding Smith’s successor might be the smart move, and it would be cheaper on Day 3. Las Vegas picked up Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick and used their second and third round picks on a guard and WR, respectively. Pairing them with Sanders could be the start of long-term success for the Raiders.
Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford returns to the Los Angeles Rams after a weird beginning to the offseason. The team permitted him to find a trade, which would have reportedly netted the Rams over $45 million in dead money. The two sides eventually agreed to a new contract and Stafford is back in Los Angeles, but he’s not a long-term solution since he’s 37 years old and on a year-to-year basis.
Because of this, there has been some buzz that the Rams could look to draft Stafford’s successor in 2025 NFL Draft. Sanders could be that guy.
Los Angeles is another potential landing spot where he wouldn’t have to start right away, and his draft-day fall could actually be for the best if it allows him to play for an offensive mastermind like Sean McVay in a huge market like L.A.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are secure for the near future with Dak Prescott under center — the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. However, they have struggled whenever he has missed games due to injuries, and Cooper Rush is now gone after signing with the Baltimore Ravens in free agency.
Jerry Jones expressed interest in adding a young quarterback in the lead-up to the 2025 NFL Draft. Dallas acquired Joe Milton III in a trade with the New England Patriots after he flashed immense potential in Week 18 of the 2024 season.
However, Sanders is a better prospect than Milton, and given that he is available in the fourth round and potentially beyond, Jones might be tempted to add a high-upside security blanket behind Prescott who could eventually take the reins.
Also, Jones is a businessman, so he has to be thinking about the money and attention that Sanders would generate in Dallas.
Sanders’ NFL Draft Scouting Report
How highly one values Sanders likely depends on how much one prioritizes positional value when putting together a draft board. If you put a premium on the quarterback position, it’s pretty clear Sanders is a first-round value. If not, though, the decision is not so simple.
Sanders is an accurate and tough quarterback with a well-built frame and plenty of throws, hitting his targets in stride from each deep third of the field. He has a good enough arm to execute throws to targets in tight windows, and there’s a natural sense of timing that tells him where to place the ball right where only his receivers can get it.
That said, 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.
Compared to the quarterbacks in the 2024 NFL Draft, I would argue Sanders would come in seventh as a prospect, ranking behind each of the six quarterbacks selected in the first round.
Sanders arguably has the highest floor of any quarterback in the class, and he has the tools to become a solid starter in the NFL. In the right system, he could lead a team to a playoff run.
Because of average physical tools, the ceiling likely does not go much further than that. There are also concerns about his attitude, as some teams view him as arrogant and didn’t appreciate how Sanders carried himself throughout the pre-draft process.
However, a respectable starting quarterback is a valuable asset in today’s game, which should see him selected at some point early in Day 3.