Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is one of the most polarizing players in college football, balancing clearly visible talent with a big off-field persona. Is he worth the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft? Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about Sanders ahead of the big day.
Where Did Shedeur Sanders Land in Our Most Recent NFL Mock Draft?
In the most recent seven-round mock draft from Pro Football Network NFL Draft Analyst Ian Cummings, Sanders went second overall, landing with the New York Giants. It’s an interesting spot for Sanders. He would land with a team in a big media market with potential on both sides of the ball held back by quarterback play.
A combo of Sanders and 2024 NFL Rookie of the Year candidate Malik Nabers could be a force in the NFC East for years.
Sanders’ Best Landing Spots in the NFL
As one of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft, Sanders’ landing spot will more or less be determined by the draft order, as the best quarterbacks almost always go in the first few picks.
Let’s take a look at some of the teams vying for the top few draft slots, other than squads like the New England Patriots, who will certainly be sticking with 2024 first-rounder Drake Maye for at least another season.
New York Giants
Let’s start with the team we’re projecting to land Sanders in our most recent mock draft. Head coach Brian Daboll has an excellent track record when it comes to developing quarterbacks, as he’s largely credited for Josh Allen’s rise in Buffalo and has even gotten solid stretches out of Daniel Jones.
Meanwhile, Nabers is emerging as a veritable star at the wide receiver position, providing Sanders with a top option and a very important teammate for a new NFL passer. New York’s offensive line is coming along nicely, making this a potentially solid landing spot for Sanders.
How to extend plays 101, taught by Shedeur Sanders 🤯pic.twitter.com/nsJKsMssu2
— College Football Network (@CFN365) August 30, 2024
Carolina Panthers
If he ends up here, Sanders must hope that Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales is given a chance to develop his own quarterback. Canales, a new head coach, was stuck with Bryce Young, a project that already appears to be failing. However, it’s not likely that he will get fired for failing to salvage someone else’s mess, so he could be Sanders’ coach even if the Panthers earn the first overall pick again.
Why is this such a big deal for Sanders? Canales is a great quarterback tutor, having fostered career renaissances for both Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith. He would be a bright spot of ending up on the Panthers, but if Canales is gone and Sanders is left to play under another new coach, that could be trouble.
Las Vegas Raiders
Sanders in Sin City could lead to one of the most potentially endorsement-rich partnerships in the league. Sanders already has a huge brand, and the Raiders, located in the hub of American sports betting, would be the perfect launching point for his commercial pursuits as an NFL player.
Football-wise, there are also some positives. Despite the trade of Davante Adams, there are some weapons in Vegas, such as Jakobi Meyers, who provides a solid veteran presence. The Raiders also become more comfortable with the Adams deal due to rookie tight end Brock Bowers. Despite just seven career games, Bowers is already emerging as one of the top weapons at the position.
Shedeur Sanders’ Scouting Report
Let’s take a look at some of the key snippets from Cummings’s scouting report of Sanders.
“Arm strength and accuracy are two of the most distinct selling points on Sanders’ tape. He generates easy velocity and has a degree of off-platform freedom. And while his mechanics are imperfect, he can find uncanny ways to hit targets with good placement and touch.
“Sanders can still seek further refinement. There are times when his lower body mechanics and dropback footwork lack control. This problem (sometimes exacerbated by poor OL play) can lead to bouts of situational imprecision.
“Sanders can also be inconsistent in navigating the pocket and managing space. And while he’s a solid athlete, he lacks an elite mobility profile and is restricted by notable limitations as a creative threat.
“From the outside, any evaluation of Sanders’ character is unfortunately incomplete. But we can say this — if NFL teams and evaluators do their research and find reason to be concerned about Sanders’ character, he’s not a good enough prospect on the field yet to counteract those concerns.”
Sanders 2024 Season Stats and Game Breakdowns
Completions: 195
Attempts: 270
Completion Percentage: 72.2%
Passing Yards: 2,268
Passing Touchdowns: 19
Interceptions: 6
So far, Sanders has put up an NCAA passer rating of 161.6, a bit of a step up from last season.
Sanders and Colorado rebounded after its three-game win streak was snapped against No. 18 Kansas State with a blowout win against Arizona last week, 34-7. Sanders accounted for three TDs against the Wildcats.
In recent weeks, Sanders has really honed in on improved processing and has done a great job getting the ball out efficiently compared to some of his rougher performances.
When Is Sanders Playing Next?
Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes are 5.5-point favorites against the Cincinnati Bearcats on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 10:15 p.m. ET. The matchup of 5-2 teams will air on ESPN.
Colorado closes out the season with games at Texas Tech, Utah, at Kansas, and Oklahoma State.