With under three hours remaining before the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off, one of the biggest questions still lingering is: where will Shedeur Sanders land in the first round?
Sanders, Colorado’s quarterback and the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, entered his final college season as the projected top quarterback prospect. However, Miami’s Cam Ward eventually overtook him in most rankings.
Early mock drafts had Sanders potentially going in the top three picks to either the Cleveland Browns or New York Giants.
Adam Schefter on Shedeur Sanders: "We are on a collision course to where he could go down to No. 21 and the Pittsburgh Steelers… If no Shedeur at 21, we might get one quarterback tonight." #NFL #NFLDraft
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing.bsky.social) 2025-04-24T20:41:26.690Z
But that scenario changed when Cleveland signed veteran QBs Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett as insurance for the injured Deshaun Watson, and the Giants added both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to their quarterback room.
Meanwhile, the New York Jets traded for Justin Fields, and the Raiders brought in Geno Smith, reuniting him with Pete Carroll.
These moves redirected speculation toward Sanders possibly landing at No. 9 with the New Orleans Saints. However, the Saints haven’t used a first-round pick on a quarterback since Archie Manning in 1971.
“I don’t think we’re going to hear his name at 9,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said regarding Sanders.
Reports have also tied the Saints to other quarterback prospects like Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss and Tyler Shough from Louisville. If New Orleans passes on Sanders, his next possible landing spot might be the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21. And if the Steelers opt not to pick him — and no team trades into the back half of the first round — Sanders could go unselected on Day One of the draft.
“The question now is whether any team is willing to move up into the teens, which doesn’t seem likely at this point,” Schefter added. “So we could be headed for a situation where Sanders slides to the Steelers at 21 — and if they pass, that might leave us with just one quarterback taken in the entire first round.”
Schefter also questioned the urgency of teams like the Browns or Giants to make aggressive moves for a QB if Sanders isn’t taken by Pittsburgh, suggesting that if he’s not picked at 21, it could be a quiet night for quarterbacks.
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