Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders was awarded the prestigious Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which recognizes the best upperclassman quarterback in the country. The award confirmed his place as one of the 2025 NFL Draft class’s prime quarterbacks despite not being named a Heisman finalist alongside the Miami Hurricanes’ Cam Ward and Oregon Ducks’ Dillon Gabriel.
During a segment of his podcast “2Legendary with Shedeur Sanders,” the NFL-bound Sanders broke down the reasons why he would choose Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow over two-time league MVP and Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.
Fans React to Shedeur Sanders Choosing Joe Burrow Over Lamar Jackson
“Joe Burrow,” Sanders said when asked which former Heisman winner has been the most influential for him.
“I haven’t talked to him or anything like that, but I’m just saying that from afar, like the year that he had in college [with the LSU Tigers], I like what he was able to do,” Sanders said “Because it’s nothing [glamorous] about Joe Burrow besides he gets everything done.”
Sanders continued, explaining the methodology behind his response.
“Joe Burrow is more relatable to me because he wins with his mind. That’s what Joe Burrow and Tom Brady, like … a lot of guys were able to be more relatable to me personally because … we all have similar attributes.”
Shedeur Sanders on NFL QBs that have been influential to him:
“Joe Burrow. He just developed a work habit and work ethic that anybody can develop. So he’s realistic vs. like a Lamar Jackson. I could try whatever I’d want to try and I could do all these workouts and I could never… pic.twitter.com/kQQmvqAJZu
— The Ravens Realm (@RealmRavens) December 12, 2024
The reaction to Sanders’ reasoning for choosing Burrow over Jackson was mixed, with fans highlighting the two-time league MVP’s edge over the Cincinnati Bengals QB.
“F**k outta here with that. Lamar uses his mind as well,” one fan posted, taking issue with Sanders’ stance.
“Might as well claim that he could win a Nobel Prize in physics but that [an Olympic 100-meter] gold is just too unrealistic,” another fan posted.
“He is right he can’t run as fast as Lamar,” one fan wrote, taking Sanders’ side in his explanation.
“He’s not saying that he’s saying he only uses his mind Lamar is a special talent if you’re only using your mind you would not be able to do the same things Lamar can do,” one fan countered.
“this is a complement to Lamar and Joe. Lamar wins with his mind yes but nobody can do what he and Josh Allen do unless you’re born with it,” another fan explained.
“He’s right. There’s only one Lamar. There are way more ‘Joe’s.’ Neither are bad. They’re different. Vastly,” one fan concluded.
Latest Mock Draft Links Sanders to the Las Vegas Raiders
The speculation around Sanders’ draft stock has been an ongoing discourse since the season started, and the two teams he has most closely been linked with are the Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) and the New York Giants (2-11) who will have two of the top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
In Pro Football Network’s latest mock draft, analyst Ryan Gosling mocked Sanders to the Raiders as a No. 2 pick.
“It is literally the worst-kept secret around the league that Shedeur Sanders wants to be a Las Vegas Raider,” Gosling wrote. “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,” Gosling continued. “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.”
At the moment, the battle for Sanders seems to be down to New York and Las Vegas, which both are badly in need of a star quarterback.