NFL Insider Says Some Teams Don’t See Shedeur Sanders As First-Round Player

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been projected to be picked as high as the No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft. However, some teams wouldn’t even bother taking him in the first round, let alone.

During an appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show,” NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero said it’s possible that Sanders isn’t even the first quarterback taken. Some NFL teams don’t have a first-round grade on Sanders, partly because of how his final game went in Colorado’s loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl.

“I’ve already talked to people within the league who don’t have anything close to a first-round grade on the guy,” Pelissero said. “The idea that he’s just going to walk in and going to be the No. 1 pick, that’s probably pushing it… if I were guessing who comes off the board first, I’d say Shedeur is not the first Colorado player off the board as it stands today.”

Despite having a solid senior season, Sanders threw two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a season-low 208 passing yards against the Cougars in his final collegiate game.

There is a lot to like about Sanders’ game. He is poised, accurate, tough, and has a good feel for layering the football to his receivers. However, part of his play that gets knocked is how he manages the pocket, allowing too many negative plays to happen by holding onto the football.

Sanders is competing with Miami’s Cam Ward and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe as the first quarterback to be taken off the board. Even if some teams don’t see Sanders as a first-rounder, it may be difficult for quarterback-needy teams, like the Titans, Giants, Jets and Raiders to pass on him altogether when they’re on the clock in Round 1.