When the 2025 NFL Draft started, there was some debate as to the place Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders can be chosen. It might have been as excessive as the highest 5, as far down as No. 21 to the Pittsburgh Steelers or perhaps even into the early second spherical if issues actually went sideways for him.
Because it seems, all of these predictions have been fallacious.
Badly fallacious.
Laughably fallacious.
Insanely fallacious.
Sanders remained undrafted on Friday evening when the third spherical accomplished.
Not solely did he stay undrafted, however there have been already 5 quarterbacks chosen forward of him. That features first-round quarterbacks Cam Ward (Tennessee) and Jaxson Dart (New York Giants), second-round quarterback Tyler Shough (New Orleans), and third-round quarterbacks Jalen Milroe (Seattle) and Dillon Gabriel (Cleveland).
It’s, fairly frankly, probably the most gorgeous slides in NFL Draft historical past.
Maybe probably the most gorgeous group to go on Sanders is the Steelers. They entered the draft with solely two quarterbacks on their roster — Mason Rudolph and Skyler Thompson — and appeared like a possible touchdown spot for him within the first spherical.
They handed and went with a defensive lineman.
When he was nonetheless accessible to them with their second choose (No. 83 total within the third spherical) it appeared like he could have fallen into their laps.
They handed once more and took working again Kaleb Johnson.
Even groups that wanted developmental quarterbacks (Seattle, New Orleans, Cleveland) went in utterly completely different instructions.
So what precisely has occurred right here?
The primary possible explanation is that perhaps his predraft interviews have been as dangerous because the nameless sources claimed they have been. Taking these reviews significantly is all the time a harmful sport, as a result of all people has a motive and agenda once they communicate anonymously.
The second is probably groups are afraid of the drama that might come from taking Sanders and the presence that his dad, Corridor of Fame cornerback and present Colorado head coach, Deion Sanders might have over his growth. Is that this an instance of NFL groups asserting their energy and making an attempt to humble all people concerned? It might be.
The third, and maybe most certainly rationalization — perhaps groups simply don’t assume he’s that good. Whereas Sanders was a standout participant in faculty, there have been numerous productive NCAA quarterbacks who fell far within the draft due to their bodily instruments and abilities. Sanders has a very good, however not nice arm. He can run, however just isn’t an elite athlete. These are the 2 issues groups search for once they choose a quarterback, particularly excessive within the draft.
No matter the reason being, no one anticipated this. Now the wait continues into Spherical 4 on Saturday.
