Shedeur Sanders, one of the most talked-about quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, was not selected in the first round, a surprising turn for the Colorado standout who had been projected as a potential early pick.
As Day 2 of the draft approaches, Sanders remains one of the top names available. Teams like the Cleveland Browns, who passed on him with their first two picks of the second round, and the Las Vegas Raiders are rumored as possible landing spots.
Watching the draft from his home in Texas alongside family, Sanders addressed the unexpected slide in a video shared by his father, Deion Sanders. “We all didn’t expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything is possible,” Sanders said. “All of this, it’s fuel to the fire. We are going to be happy regardless. Legendary”
Dak Prescott shares his thoughts on Shedeur Sanders.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, a fourth-round pick in 2016, spoke Friday about Sanders’ situation and offered advice to the young quarterback. “I don’t think it’s fair in the sense of how much people are looking for and toward [Sanders] being drafted, because … it doesn’t matter when you get in,” Prescott said. “I know he expected himself to go No. 1 overall, and he would be wrong if he didn’t expect himself to be there.”
Prescott’s message emphasized resilience and the unpredictable nature of the draft process. “Every pick after that is fuel to the fire,” Prescott added, echoing Sanders’ words. “You use it as motivation. It’s about what you do once you get your opportunity.”
Sanders’ fall out of the first round has sparked widespread discussion among analysts and fans. While some insiders say the development wasn’t entirely shocking, citing the specific needs and preferences of teams at the top of the draft, many still view Sanders as a high-upside prospect likely to be picked early in the second round.
“Every pick after that is fuel is the fire.”
Dak Prescott speaks on Shedeur Sanders not being selected in yesterday’s first round draft class. pic.twitter.com/dNFS89jvPd
— DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys)
His father, Coach Prime, was a first-round pick and knows how a star player’s career can be affected if drafted by the wrong team. As a father and coach, he doesn’t want anything to go wrong for Shedeur, even if that means taking a heavy hand in the pre-draft process, which may or may not help his son’s stock.
NFL analyst Todd McShay believed in December that Deion would play a massive role in Shedeur’s next destination.
“It’s going to be one of the most fascinating pre-draft processes because Coach Prime is absolutely going to control where he goes,” McShay said. “You’ve got about seven teams projected right now to draft in the top 10 that need a quarterback. He’s going to dictate, maybe narrowing it down to two or three organizations he’d be willing to let his son play for, and then they’ll need to come up and get him.”