The fall of Shedeur Sanders has gone from surprising to downright baffling.
After slipping out of the first round on Thursday night, Sanders’ draft slide only worsened on Friday as he remained undrafted through three rounds. Once widely projected as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, the former Colorado standout now enters Day 3 still waiting for his name to be called.
The first hints of trouble came Thursday when the New York Giants, in need of a quarterback, traded up to No. 25 overall. But selected Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart instead. Friday night delivered another round of heartbreak: the New Orleans Saints picked Louisville’s Tyler Shough, the Seattle Seahawks chose Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and the Cleveland Browns grabbed Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel. All before Sanders.
Even teams with glaring needs at quarterback passed on Sanders multiple times, raising serious questions about why such a high-profile player was being overlooked.
Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, who has known Sanders since junior high, warned that teams may regret their decision.
“He’s gonna have a chip on his shoulder,” Payton said. “And beware, this guy is going to play and succeed in this league.”
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, another close family friend, also vouched for Sanders’ character and competitive drive.
“I’ve seen it firsthand,” Jones said. “He’s got great character and an unbelievable will to win.”
So why the shocking slide? According to one executive involved with a quarterback-needy team, there’s “no smoking gun”. But suggested the combination of Sanders’ celebrity status, high profile and the attention he would bring complicated his evaluation.
“He’s not seen as a surefire star yet,” the executive said. “And for some teams, the off-field spotlight that follows him made it harder to justify a pick.”
Concerns about Sanders’ on-field play have also surfaced, particularly regarding his limited mobility and tendency to hold onto the ball too long under pressure. Still, his production at Colorado, where he earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors, made his draft slide all the more puzzling.
The situation now mirrors, but even exceeds, the 2023 draft slide of Will Levis. Levis, once projected as a top-10 pick, fell to the second round but was scooped up at No. 33 overall. Sanders’ wait has stretched even longer, without a clear end in sight.
Adding to the challenge: with most teams having already addressed their quarterback situations in free agency or earlier rounds, few franchises are likely to invest heavily in a quarterback on Day 3. Wherever Sanders lands, he may be walking into a crowded quarterback room with limited chances for immediate playing time. A sharp contrast to his belief that he could turn around any franchise.
“We went from Jackson State to Colorado and changed two programs back to back,” Sanders said at the NFL Combine in February. “So you don’t think I could change an NFL franchise, too? History repeats itself.”
For now, Sanders can only wait. Armed with faith, patience and a massive chip on his shoulder.
