Shedeur Sanders is making a lot of noise in NFL circles as speculation about his 2025 NFL Draft destiny intensifies. With a number of outlets releasing mock drafts as we approach the end of the regular season, one ESPN analyst has Shedeur landing with the New York Giants.
ESPN’s Field Yates Projects Shedeur Sanders as No.1 Overall Pick
ESPN analyst Field Yates has projected the Colorado quarterback as the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft and is heading to the Big Apple. Obviously, the draft order has not yet been finalized and this seems to be a projection as to which team ends up with the worst record.
Shedeur, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, has been lighting up the college football scene since moving to Boulder with his dad as head coach. The Buffs QB is leading the FBS in completion percentage (74.2%), and his stats for the 2024 college football season read – 3,926 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Yates’ mock draft on the episode of ‘Get Up’ suggests Sanders could be the answer to the Giants’ long-standing quarterback woes. After their front office benched and released Daniel Jones, the Giants are left with Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito—a duo that hardly inspires confidence.
Sanders’ poise, precision, and knack for rising to the occasion have made him a top prospect. “He is at his best delivering from the pocket, as he throws with natural touch and is extremely poised. Sanders has met big moment after big moment at Colorado, and that unflappability bodes well for his NFL future,” Yates stated.
.@FieldYates' latest mock draft has Shedeur Sanders drafted No. 1 to the Giants 👀
Check out his full list here 🔗 https://t.co/eLjzH1NKzU pic.twitter.com/oy5amt3Iy2
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 11, 2024
However, the Sanders-to-New York buzz hasn’t gone unchallenged. The quarterback has hinted at a preference for the Las Vegas Raiders, a team his father connects with through head coach Antonio Pierce. “The worst-kept secret in sports,” ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky called Sanders’ interest in Las Vegas, given the 22-year-old’s social media posts and family ties.
“Feels like the worst-kept secret in sports right now, that Shedeur Sanders wants to go to the #Raiders.”
– @danorlovsky7 on @GetUpESPN pic.twitter.com/nHXYQTnP8l
— Pro Football Post (@ProFootballPost) December 10, 2024
Like the Giants, the Raiders are also in immediate need of a quarterback. They are projected to draft Miami’s Cam Ward at No. 2 in Yates’ mock.
If they [Giants] land the No. 1 pick, passing on a talent like Sanders seems improbable. His stats and ability to carry a team could rejuvenate a franchise desperate for stability. Shedeur isn’t the only star projected to make noise in the 2025 NFL Draft. Colorado’s Travis Hunter, a two-way phenom, is expected to go third overall to the New England Patriots.
In Pro Football Network’s most recent 2025 NFL Mock Draft, Shedeur actually ended up landing in Las Vegas.
“It is literally the worst-kept secret around the league that Shedeur Sanders wants to be a Las Vegas Raider. His father, the legendary Deion Sanders, was even caught asking Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce to draft his son at a recent event.
“You are truly the best,” Sanders told Pierce. “Now I just need for you to do one thing. I need you to draft those Sanders boys.”
No shame in Sanders’ game. Oh, and in addition to Sanders’ connection with Pierce, another big name might come into play here. When Shedeur was a four-star quarterback at Trinity Christian School, he worked out with Raiders minority owner Tom Brady. In 2022, when Shedeur was at Jackson State, Brady signed him to an NIL deal with his BRADY Brand — the first athlete Brady ever signed to an NIL or endorsement deal.
After Colorado’s upset win over TCU in 2023, Brady texted him, “Don’t be satisfied.”
For now, Giants fans can only speculate. Will Sanders bring his brilliance to New York, or will his heart lead him to the bright lights of Las Vegas?