2025 NFL Draft: Shedeur Sanders’ Fall Dominates Discussion

• Our 2025 NFL Draft analysis looks at Shedeur Sanders’ fall to the 4th round
• Speculation as to why Sanders fell so far is rampant
• Teams had needs and clear preferences
• Sanders has the chance to prove himself, largely without pressure, as he’s going to a team with five quarterbacks

Shedeur Sanders Wasn’t Even the 1st Guy Named Sanders Picked

For the record, Shedeur Sanders was not the first Sanders picked in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Bills selected T.J. Sanders (no relation to Shedeur or Deion) 41st overall.

As Shedeur waited to hear his name called, by the end of the 1st round, the dominant reaction was, “Well, ok. He’ll go tomorrow,” meaning the 2nd or 3rd round.

Then, after he wasn’t taken on Day 2, befuddlement and idle speculation came to the forefront.

As Day 3 progressed, and teams that needed a QB or might have been amenable to taking a flier on him even if they didn’t need-need a QB let him pass (the Rams, Cowboys, and 49ers are examples), conspiracy theories were floated.

Finally, the Browns took him with the 144th pick.

That was the 5th round, four rounds later than his expected spot. He was the second QB the Browns took in this draft and the sixth QB taken overall.

It’s best to ignore all the noise. The realities clarify the situation.

The Browns took Dillon Gabriel out of Oregon in the 3rd round. Gabriel is 24 and is 5’11”, two immediate negatives for a productive NFL career.

The Giants traded back into the 1st round to get Jaxson Dart out of Mississippi, an acknowledged project. The Saints took Tyler Shough (who’s 25 and spent seven years at three colleges) out of Louisville 40th overall. The Seahawks took Jalen Milroe out of Alabama 92nd overall. Of course, the Titans selected Cam Ward out of Miami with the first pick.

Six Teams Needed a QB

Six teams needed a QB. They were the Titans, Browns, Giants, Saints, Jets, and Steelers.

The Giants and Browns’ head coaches, Brian Daboll and Kevin Stefanski, are in danger of being fired if they have another disastrous year.

The Saints and Jets have rookie head coaches, Aaron Glenn and Kellen Moore, who might’ve wanted a QB who was less polarizing and fit better into their system.

The Titans have a second-year head coach in Brian Callahan, and they got their guy, Ward, first overall.

And the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin could have taken Sanders if he wanted him. He didn’t. They selected Ohio State’s Will Howard in the 6th round to join veteran backup Mason Rudolph as their current QBs. Either they’re signing Aaron Rodgers or trading for Kirk Cousins.

Implications were rampant that Shedeur was unprepared for meetings with teams, behaved arrogantly, made outrageous demands, and acted as though he was better than he was.

The Browns’ QB room will consist of Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, injured Deshaun Watson, Gabriel, and Sanders.

Given Flacco’s age and disposition, he’s probably not happy. Of all QBs, Pickett will presumably start the season at the top of the depth chart. But suffice it to say that Stefanski will not play anyone who does not give him the best chance to win because he’s coaching for his job. If Shedeur doesn’t stay in his lane, it’s quite easy to cut a 4th rounder without cost.

What Does Sanders’ Fall Say?

In the end, there’s no way of knowing.

Was this a humbling experience for him? Will he treat this as a wake-up call? Or does he double and triple down, confident in his abilities, and use the plummet as an opportunity to prove his naysayers wrong?

We will never know whether he was a 5th rounder who was viewed as a 1st rounder because of his last name or if he was a 3rd rounder who fell to the 5th round…because of his last name.

Oddsmakers are bearish on him, as shown by his status in the markets as a potential Offensive Rookie of the Year.

2025 NFL Draft: Shedeur Sanders’ Drop Will Be Talked About for Years

Deserved or not, Sanders was expected to be a top-20 pick. He dropped faster than the Chicxulub impactor that purportedly killed the dinosaurs. Will it be a similar aftermath for the NFL, the Browns, Deion Sanders, and the teams that passed on him?

What’s your view?

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