The 2025 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, and the value of Shedeur Sanders’ stock has started to dip. He was a top-three lock not long ago, but one NFL Insider says he’d be shocked if Sanders is off the board after the third pick.
Shedeur Sanders Could Be In for a Long Night, According to NFL Insider
Sanders settled in as this year’s QB2 behind Cam Ward, but he’s continued to be a media focal point. He performed well at Colorado’s Pro Day, but many teams and draft experts are still split on how good Sanders will be in the NFL. The New Orleans Saints have been recently linked to the Colorado product, and Derek Carr’s shoulder issue may clear the way for Sanders to be a top-10 pick.
However, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer thinks Sanders will be waiting around longer than expected on draft night. Breer recently wrote an NFL Takeaways article addressing many topics and had trouble finding NFL personnel members who believe Sanders.
He wrote, “I’m having a really hard time finding coaches or scouts who believe Sanders is a first-round talent. This, by the way, is separate from any issue anyone has with his personality. Those questions exist, but lots of teams have made exceptions in that department in the past to take on guys with special talents.
“The problem seems to be that too many folks don’t think Sanders has those types of gifts. What I keep hearing—and this has nothing to do with anyone having some personal issue with Sanders, or looking for him to fall in the draft so they can draft him—is that he isn’t a great athlete on tape, doesn’t have exceptional arm talent, and too often does things that simply won’t translate to the NFL game.”
Breer noted that even Sanders-haters believe he’s accurate, smart, and tough. However, one coach thought his propensity to bail out of the pocket laterally would make it harder to adapt to the NFL than Jaxson Dart, who likes to step into the pocket.
He finished with, “Anyway, I don’t think Sanders is going in the top three. And at this point, it feels like it’d be surprising if the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets or Saints took him in the top 10. I’ve had more than one person say to me that if Sanders goes in the first round, it’ll be because an owner got involved.”
The Cleveland Browns are likely still in the rookie quarterback market after acquiring Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco this offseason, but reports link them to Travis Hunter at No. 2, not Sanders. The New York Giants hold the third pick and also added two veteran signal-callers in free agency.
Neither Russell Wilson nor Jameis Winston are seen as long-term answers in New York, but would the “win or get fired” Giants pass on Abdul Carter for a quarterback who likely wouldn’t start immediately?
Sanders is the highest-profile prospect whose stock has started to fall. It’s tough timing with the 2025 NFL Draft just over a week away, but ot only takes one team to make him a first-round pick.