With less than three hours until the 2025 NFL Draft, the question of the first round remains: Where is Shedeur Sanders going?
The Colorado quarterback went into his final college season projected as the top prospect at his position before slowly being surpassed by Miami quarterback Cam Ward. Then, it appeared as if the Cleveland Browns or New Giants would take him in the top 3. That was before the Browns brought in veteran quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett to hold down the fort in place of injured starter Deshaun Watson. It was also before the Giants signed two veteran quarterbacks in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston. The New York Jets also brought in a new quarterback, Justin Fields. Then, the Las Vegas Raiders brought over Geno Smith to be reunited with Pete Carroll.
The aforementioned moves shifted projected attention for Sanders to No. 9 with the New Orleans Saints. However, the Saints haven’t selected a quarterback in the first round since 1971 with Archie Manning.
“I don’t think we’re going to hear his name at 9,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said of Sanders.
The Saints have also been linked to looking at quarterbacks like Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart and Louisville’s Tyler Shough. In the event the Saints don’t select Sanders, the next potential team that has a need for a quarterback are the Pittsburgh Steelers at pick No. 21. If the Steelers don’t pick Sanders, and no other team drafts back into the first round, there is an opportunity Sanders doesn’t hear his name called on Night One of the three-day event.
“The question becomes, ‘Is there going to be a team that’s going to trade up into the teens, which is hard to see that right now,” Schefter said. “So, we are on a collision course to where he could go down to No. 21 and the Pittsburgh Steelers. And the Steelers would have a decision to make here, and that would dictate so much because we would have seen one quarterback picked.
“If they [Steelers] don’t take Shedeur Sanders, what’s the motivation for a Cleveland team that doesn’t sound like it’s going to be aggressive tonight on a quarterback,” Schefter said. “Or even a Giants team, despite it’s fans hopes, might not be aggressive tonight on a quarterback. What are the chances these teams are going to push up for a quarterback? Maybe not. So, if no Shedeur at 21, you might get one quarterback tonight.”
Sanders is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado coach Deion Sanders.
Adam Schefter on Shedeur Sanders: “We are on a collision course to where he could go down to No. 21 and the Pittsburgh Steelers… If no Shedeur at 21, we might get one quarterback tonight.” #NFL #NFLDraft
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing.bsky.social) April 24, 2025 at 3:41 PM
