NFL teams continue to pass on Shedeur Sanders, creating one of the most surprising draft slides in league history as the Colorado quarterback remains available heading into the fourth round.
“It’s gotta be about more than football,” ESPN analyst Booger McFarland said at the conclusion of the third round.
Questions about Sanders’ draft position have intensified as teams selected other quarterbacks ahead of him. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported hearing Sanders “didn’t interview great” during the pre-draft process.
ESPN’s Louis Riddick suggested personal factors might be influencing team decisions.
“It becomes about personal feelings about an individual, whether you like the individual, whether you like the way they talk to you,” Riddick said.
The situation has left draft analysts stunned.
“It is inarguably one of the most surprising and shocking stories that I can recall in all my years following the draft,” said ESPN’s Mike Greenberg.
Sanders was widely considered a potential No. 1 overall selection alongside Washington State’s Cam Ward throughout much of the 2023 college season.
Even as Ward’s stock rose, many draft experts projected Sanders as a potential target for the Cleveland Browns at No. 2 or the New York Giants at No. 3.
Both teams have since selected different quarterbacks. The Giants took Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart in the first round, while the Browns selected Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel in the third.
Sanders’ fall differs significantly from prospects like Jake Locker or Sam Howell, who had early first-round projections but slipped after underwhelming final college seasons.
The Colorado quarterback performed well in 2023 despite playing behind an inconsistent offensive line with minimal running game support.
By most evaluations, Sanders displayed the skills of a high-level quarterback prospect.
The reasons behind his dramatic slide remain unclear.
Sanders appears deserving of selection much earlier than the fourth round, but NFL decision-makers evidently disagree.
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