Rumors surrounding a potential slide for Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft are heating up. Some projections now have the quarterback falling out of the first round — including PFSN’s latest 3-Round Mock Draft, which has Sanders going in the second round, at pick No. 33 to the Cleveland Browns.
A former NFL player, two-time Super Bowl champion, and current football analyst shared a positive perspective on Shedeur Sanders’ potential slide down the board.
Damien Woody Gives New Perspective on Possible Slide for Shedeur Sanders in the Draft
All eyes are on what will happen with quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. While there’s still plenty of buzz around him — thanks to both his strong performance at Colorado and his high-profile family background — many analysts now project Sanders to fall outside the top 10, and possibly even further.
During ESPN’s “Get Up,” former NFL player Damien Woody said that falling in the draft might actually be the best-case scenario for Sanders’ development in the NFL — pointing out that the more stable teams usually pick in the back half of the first round.
.@damienwoody believes Shedeur Sanders sliding in the NFL draft would be good for his career.
"Where are the stable franchises? They tend to be in the bottom half of the first round." pic.twitter.com/kL2SqtGG0N
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 10, 2025
“I mean, we can look at a couple of examples in recent history. You saw the Kansas City Chiefs trade up to get Patrick Mahomes; you saw the Baltimore Ravens trade up into the first round to get Lamar [Jackson].”
For Sanders, landing with a team where he wouldn’t be thrown into a chaotic situation from Day 1 could be ideal. Take the Cleveland Browns, for example — they’re currently dealing with a tough contract situation involving Deshaun Watson and have a long history of dysfunction that could stall Sanders’ development.
On the other hand, a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers — who hold the No. 21 pick — has made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons despite lacking a star quarterback. That’s the kind of stable environment, led by a coach like Mike Tomlin, where Sanders could truly thrive.
“You don’t have to be the number one overall pick, top three or anything like that,” Woody added. “Just by following your dad and seeing how his career played, and just being around the game, it’s more important to get to the right situation. That will help your career long term more than having this high draft pick attached to you.”
One factor that can’t be ignored is the slotted value of rookie contracts. The difference between being selected No. 2 overall by the Browns and going 21st to the Steelers is roughly $28.6 million over the span of a four-year deal.
However, nothing compares to what a quarterback can earn on a second contract if he thrives on his rookie deal. In that sense, taking the financial hit early could actually be an investment for Sanders — a trade-off worth making if it sets him up to become one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks in the near future