The fall of Shedeur Sanders in the NFL Draft has gone from surprising to hard to explain.
The former Colorado quarterback was expected to hear his name called early. Instead, he is still waiting heading into the fourth round on Saturday. After the New York Giants traded up to select Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart late in the first round, Sanders watched on Friday as Louisville’s Tyler Shough, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel were all drafted ahead of him.
Multiple teams needing quarterbacks passed up the chance to take Sanders. Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton, who has known Sanders for years, warned teams that they might regret it.
“He’s gonna, like there’ll be this chip on his shoulder, and beware because this guy is going to play in this league,” Payton said Friday.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who has a relationship with the Sanders family, also spoke highly of the quarterback’s character.
“I watched two or three ballgames with (Shedeur). I know where the character is, and it is great. It’s an unbelievable competitive winning character,” Jones said.
Still, Sanders remained undrafted through three rounds. One executive from a quarterback-needy team said there was “no smoking gun” behind Sanders’ fall, but noted it was “not just football, either.” Sanders’ celebrity status and the attention he would bring were seen as potential concerns, especially since some teams don’t view him as a future star.
Teams like the Browns and Steelers had multiple chances to select Sanders but passed each time. Cleveland passed on him four times, while Pittsburgh passed twice despite needing help at quarterback.
Sanders had little to say publicly during Friday’s fall, posting only a short message on social media:
“Thank you GOD for EVERYTHING,” he wrote.
At Colorado, Sanders put up big numbers and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. He is the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, whose presence helped boost his profile nationally. Despite his college success, there were pre-draft questions about Sanders’ game. Some scouts pointed to concerns about his mobility and tendency to hold onto the ball too long under pressure.
Still, few expected such a steep drop. His slide is now being mentioned alongside some of the most surprising draft falls in recent memory, even compared to former Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, who dropped to the second round in 2023. Levis, however, was picked early in Round 2. Sanders remains available heading into Day 3.
The path forward for Sanders is unclear. With few quarterback openings remaining, and free agent options like Aaron Rodgers still looming, it’s possible that Sanders lands on a team where immediate playing time is unlikely.
It would be a major adjustment for a player who has always carried high expectations. At the NFL Combine, Sanders made clear he believed he could transform any franchise he joined.
“We went from Jackson State to Colorado and changed two programs back to back,” he said in February. “So, you don’t think I could come to an NFL franchise and change the program again? It’s history. We’ve done it again. It’s always going to repeat itself.”
Now, Sanders will have to wait a little longer to start writing that next chapter.
Photo: Dustin Bradford/Getty Images for ONIT
