By way of a number of tales printed within the days main as much as the 2025 draft, unnamed NFL coaches and executives shared brutal evaluations of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and ripped his persona.
Throughout a Wednesday look on Pittsburgh sports activities radio station WDVE, retired participant and present NFL analyst Merril Hoge defined why he thinks Sanders will flop on the highest stage.
“He cannot deal with the expectations which can be coming his approach,” Hoge mentioned, as shared by Ross McCorkle of Steelers Depot. “He is gonna be an epic failure, and he’s gonna set your group again one other two or three years.”
Criticisms of Sanders’ athleticism and passing mechanics popped up lengthy earlier than one NFC coordinator lately in contrast the polarizing prospect to 2024 fifth-round draft selection Spencer Rattler whereas talking with Albert Breer of Sports activities Illustrated. That coordinator would “be shocked if [Sanders] was a very good starter” within the NFL, whereas an NFC quarterbacks coach joked with Breer that Sanders would “be a sixth-round choose” if he weren’t the son of Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.
“One of the best ways to sum him up is he is a very good school quarterback,” Hoge added. “His accuracy is nice. His processing is nice. And once I say good, I exploit a scale from one to 10. So good is round 5. …These are the 2 most essential facets of transitioning to the Nationwide Soccer League, and then you definitely construct from there. Anticipation, pocket consciousness after which we begin constructing. However these two issues, when you’re a 5, you are not a first-rounder. You are not a franchise man.”
Hoge accurately predicted forward of the 2014 draft that quarterback Johnny Manziel could be an NFL bust. Extra lately, Hoge generated headlines in early 2024 when he mentioned the Washington Commanders ought to make Jayden Daniels the draft’s second choose over Drake Maye. Daniels in the end received the Offensive Rookie of the 12 months Award en path to guiding his membership to the NFC Championship Recreation.
“Let’s go to the IQ stage,” Hoge mentioned whereas evaluating Sanders to quarterbacks taken with excessive picks in earlier drafts. “He ain’t even shut. He ain’t even within the ballpark.”
Assuming Hoge and others are correct of their assessments, it appears the staff that ends the draft with Sanders ought to plan on growing him as a backup for so long as potential to get him able to face professional defenses in significant video games.
