Shedeur Sanders sees stunning fall in NFL draft

Fans watch during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 25, 2025, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Shedeur Sanders is still waiting — after three rounds of the NFL draft, 102 picks and five quarterbacks selected ahead of Coach Prime’s highly touted son.
The Colorado quarterback was widely considered a first-round talent. But his stunning slide continued Friday night when his name wasn’t called in the second or third round.
Sanders was arguably the most recognizable player in the country entering the draft — largely because of his father, Deion Sanders, the Pro Football Hall of Famer who brought an innovative, publicity-seeking approach to college coaching at Jackson State and then Colorado. Shedeur Sanders played for his dad at both schools and finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting last season as the pair revitalized the Buffaloes program.
NFL talent evaluators were apparently less impressed than draft analysts realized. Few if any mock drafts had Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe or Dillon Gabriel getting picked before Sanders, but that’s what happened.
“Thank you GOD for EVERYTHING,” Sanders posted on X during the third round.
Wherever he ends up, Sanders will make millions of dollars less than he would have if he’d been selected in the first round. For example, if he’d gone to the quarterback-needy Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 overall, he’d be in line for an $18 million contract. A fourth-round pick can expect a rookie deal worth between $4.9 million and $5.3 million.
President Donald Trump mused in a social media post that teams were “STUPID” for passing on Sanders — after Thursday’s first round.
Sanders initially was rated by some draft analysts as a better QB prospect than Miami’s Cam Ward, who ultimately went No. 1 overall to Tennessee. But as the draft drew closer, concerns began to emerge.
One issue: Sanders was sacked 94 times over his last two college seasons. There also were worries about his arm strength and questions about how well he would adapt to playing for someone other than his dad. And given his high profile, teams might be reluctant to pick him if they view him as a backup.
For a few moments Thursday, it appeared Sanders’ wait might be over when the New York Giants traded up to the 25th pick, but the team opted for Dart out of Mississippi.
The lone quarterback selection of Friday’s second round came when New Orleans passed on Sanders in favor of Shough, a 25-year-old who finished his college career at Louisville after stops at Oregon and Texas Tech. Shough was chosen 40th overall.
Saints veteran quarterback Derek Carr has what general manager Mickey Loomis described as a “shoulder issue,” leaving his availability uncertain heading into offseason workouts.
The Seattle Seahawks took Milroe out of Alabama in the third round with the 92nd overall pick. Two picks later, the Cleveland Browns selected Gabriel, who played at Oregon last year after stints at Central Florida and Oklahoma.
Cleveland had five picks in the first three rounds and has a clear need at quarterback after the team got little production out of Deshaun Watson, who will miss the upcoming season with a torn Achilles tendon. Gabriel joins Kenny Pickett and 40-year-old Joe Flacco in the Browns’ quarterback room.
Pittsburgh was also considered a potential landing spot for Sanders, who visited the Steelers’ facility before the draft. The Steelers’ only quarterbacks are Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson following the offseason departures of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
The Steelers took Oregon defensive lineman Derrick Harmon with the 21st overall pick Thursday. They didn’t have a second-round pick, but Sanders was still available when their turn came again in the third round.
Pittsburgh instead used the 83rd overall pick on Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson.
Sanders didn’t travel to Green Bay for the draft. Instead, he watched the proceedings with his family in Canton, Texas.
“Tomorrow’s the day. We’re going to be happy regardless,” Sanders said in a video posted on YouTube Thursday night, adding:
Maybe not.
Another player regarded as a potential first-round selection had a longer wait than expected. Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, who was in the green room during Thursday’s first round, went to the Arizona Cardinals in the second round with the 47th overall pick.
A reported knee issue caused Johnson’s stock to fall.
“It’s just frustrating,” Johnson said. “I know what I’m dealing with, and I know I’m healthy and I know how my body feels. I’m just going to go out there and show that on Sundays and show everybody what they missed out on.”
The second round featured several trades.
Seattle and Miami traded up to get picks early in the round. The Seahawks chose South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori with the 35th overall pick. The Dolphins took Arizona guard Jonah Savaiinaea at No. 37.
Buffalo moved up 16 spots to take South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders at No. 41. The Bills dealt their 56th, 62nd and 109th picks to Chicago while getting the Bears’ 72nd and 240th picks in return.
T.J. Sanders will have an immediate opportunity to make an impact with offseason free-agent addition Larry Ogunjobi expected to miss the first six games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
The second round also included the selection of three more players from national champion Ohio State, which had four players taken in the first round. The Buckeyes’ running back tandem went early in the second round, with Judkins followed by TreVeyon Henderson, who went 38th overall to New England. Indianapolis took edge rusher JT Tuimoloau at No. 45.
Seven of the first 45 selections played at Ohio State.
Thursday, April 24
First Round
1. Tennessee, Cam Ward, qb, Miami.
2. Jacksonville (from Cleveland), Travis Hunter, cb/wr, Colorado.
3. N.Y. Giants, Abdul Carter, de, Penn State.
4. New England, Will Campbell, ot, LSU.
5. Cleveland (from Jacksonville), Mason Graham, dt, Michigan.
6. Ashton Jeanty, rb, Boise State.
7. N.Y. Jets, Armand Membou, ot, Missouri.
8. Carolina, Tetairoa McMillan, wr, Arizona.
9. New Orleans, Kelvin Banks Jr., ot, Texas.
10. Chicago, Colston Loveland, te, Michigan.
11. San Francisco, Mykel Williams, de, Georgia.
12. Dallas, Tyler Booker, g, Alabama.
13. Miami, Kenneth Grant, dt, Michigan.
14. Indianapolis, Tyler Warren, te, Penn State.
15. Atlanta, Jalon Walker, lb, Georgia.
16. Arizona, Walter Nolen, dt, Mississippi.
17. Cincinnati, Shemar Stewart, de, Texas A&M.
18. Seattle, Grey Zabel, g, North Dakota State.
19. Tampa Bay, Emeka Egbuka, wr, Ohio State.
20. Denver, Jahdae Barron, cb, Texas.
21. Pittsburgh, Derrick Harmon, dt, Oregon.
22. L.A. Chargers, Omarion Hampton, rb, North Carolina.
23. Green Bay, Matthew Golden, wr, Texas.
24. Minnesota, Donovan Jackson, g, Ohio State.
25. N.Y. Giants (from Houston), Jaxson Dart, qb, Mississippi.
26. Atlanta (from L.A. Rams), James Pearce Jr. de, Tennessee.
27. Baltimore, Malaki Starks, s, Georgia.
28. Detroit, Tyleik Williams, dt, Ohio State.
29. Washington, Josh Conerly Jr., ot, Oregon.
30. Buffalo, Maxwell Hairston, cb, Kentucky.
31. Philadelphia (from Kansas City), Jihaad Campbell, lb, Alabama.
32. Kansas City (from Philadelphia), Josh Simmons, ot, Ohio State.
Friday, April 25
Second Round
33. Cleveland, Carson Schwesinger, lb, UCLA.
34. Houston (from N.Y. Giants), Jayden Higgins, wr, Iowa State.
35. Seattle (from Tennessee), Nick Emmanwori, s, South Carolina.
36. Cleveland (from Jacksonville), Quinshon Judkins, rb, Ohio State.
37. Miami (from Las Vegas), Jonah Savaiinaea, g, Arizona.
38. New England, TreVeyon Henderson, rb, Ohio State.
39. Chicago (from Carolina), Luther Burden III, wr, Missouri.
40. New Orleans, Tyler Shough, qb, Louisville.
41. Buffalo (from Chicago), T.J. Sanders, DT, South Carolina.
42. N.Y. Jets, Mason Taylor, te, LSU.
43. San Francisco, Alfred Collins, dt, Texas.
44. Dallas, Donovan Ezeiruaku, de, Boston College.
45. Indianapolis, JT Tuimoloau, de, Ohio State.
46. L.A. Rams (from Atlanta), Terrance Ferguson, te, Oregon.
47. Arizona, Will Johnson, cb, Michigan.
48. Houston (from MIA through LV), Aireontae Ersery, ot, Minnesota.
49. Cincinnati, Demetrius Knight Jr., lb, South Carolina.
50. Seattle, Elijah Arroyo, te, Miami.
51. Carolina (from Denver), Nick Scourton, de, Texas A&M.
52. Tennessee (from PIT through SEA), Oluwafemi Oladejo, de, UCLA.
53. Tampa Bay, Benjamin Morrison, cb, Notre Dame.
54. Green Bay, Anthony Belton, ot, NC State.
55. L.A. Chargers, Tre Harris, wr, Mississippi.
56. Chicago (from MIN through HOU and BUF), Ozzy Trapilo, ot, Boston College.
57. Detroit (from LAR through CAR), Tate Ratledge, g, Georgia.
58. Las Vegas (from Houston), Jack Bech, wr, TCU.
59. Baltimore, Mike Green, de, Marshall.
60. Denver, RJ Harvey, rb, UCF.
61. Washington, Trey Amos, cb, Mississippi.
62. Chicago (from Buffalo), Shemar Turner, dt, Texas A&M.
63. Kansas City, Omarr Norman-Lott, dt, Tennessee.
64. Philadelphia, Andrew Mukuba, s, Texas.
Third Round
65. N.Y. Giants, Darius Alexander, dt, Toledo.
66. Kansas City (from Tennessee), Ashton Gillotte, de, Louisville.
67. Cleveland, Harold Fannin Jr., te, Bowling Green.
68. Las Vegas, Darien Porter, cb, Iowa State.
69. New England, Kyle Williams, wr, Washington State.
70. Detroit (from Jacksonville), Isaac TeSlaa, wr, Arkansas.
71. New Orleans, Vernon Broughton, dt, Texas.
72. Buffalo (from Chicago), Landon Jackson, de, Arkansas.
73. N.Y. Jets, Azareye’h Thomas, cb, Florida State.
74. Denver (from Carolina), Pat Bryant, wr, Illinois.
75. San Francisco, Nick Martin, lb, Oklahoma State.
76. Dallas, Shavon Revel Jr., cb, East Carolina.
77. Carolina (from ATL through NE), Princely Umanmielen, de, Mississippi.
78. Arizona, Jordan Burch, de, Oregon.
79. Houston (from MIA through PHI and WAS), Jaylin Noel, wr, Iowa State.
80. Indianapolis, Justin Walley, cb, Minnesota.
81. Cincinnati, Dylan Fairchild, g, Georgia.
82. Tennessee (from Seattle), Kevin Winston Jr., s, Penn State.
83. Pittsburgh, Kaleb Johnson, rb, Iowa.
84. Tampa Bay, Jacob Parrish, cb, Kansas State.
85. Kansas City (from DEN through CAR and NE), Nohl Williams, cb, California.
86. L.A. Chargers, Jamaree Caldwell, dt, Oregon.
87. Green Bay, Savion Williams, wr, TCU.
88. Jacksonville (from Minnesota), Caleb Ransaw, cb, Tulane.
89. Jacksonville (from Houston), Wyatt Milum, g, West Virginia.
90. L.A. Rams, Josaiah Stewart, de, Michigan.
91. Baltimore, Emery Jones Jr., g, LSU.
92. Seattle (from DET through NYJ and LV), Jalen Milroe, qb, Alabama.
93. New Orleans (from Washington), Jonas Sanker, s, Virginia.
94. Cleveland (from Buffalo), Dillon Gabriel, qb, Oregon.
95. New England, Jared Wilson, c, Georgia.
96. Atlanta (from Philadelphia), Xavier Watts, s, Notre Dame.
Compensatory Selections
97. Houston (from Minnesota), Jaylin Smith, cb, Southern Cal.
98. Las Vegas (from Miami), Caleb Rogers, g, Texas Tech.
99. Las Vegas (from NYG through HOU), Charles Grant, ot, William & Mary.
100. San Francisco, Upton Stout, cb, Western Kentucky.
101. Denver (from LAR through ATL and PHI), Sai’vion Jones, de, LSU.
102. Minnesota (from DET through JAX and HOU), Tai Felton, wr, Maryland.