It appears as though Shedeur Sanders has his ideal landing spot picked out.
The University of Colorado quarterback has been one of the most followed prospects in this draft class, and it appears that the opportunity to draft him has come down to a two-horse race. With matching 2-12 records, the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants have been linked numerous times to Sanders over the past couple of months.
Now, according to ESPN writer Jordan Ranaan, Sanders has a preference between the two hard-luck franchises.
“Multiple sources close to Shedeur Sanders and the Colorado program believe his preference would be to land in Las Vegas,” said Ranaan.
While the idea that Sanders would prefer to join the Raiders is good news, there is no guarantee that that is how the draft will play out.
During an appearance on The Pacman Jones Show, Colorado head coach and Shedeur’s father Deion Sanders brought up the Giants, stating that they would use the first overall pick on his son if they get it.
Deion Sanders says here that #Giants “are not giving up that (No. 1) pick. I know that for a fact.”
And “Shedeur is going to be the No. 1 pick.”
Sounds like he fully expects his son to be next Giants QB if they lose out. https://t.co/cLAJu30XTN
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) December 18, 2024
Also working against the Raiders is the current layout of their schedule. While the Raiders would have the edge over the Giants in terms of strength of schedule, they are currently playing in a relatively weak home stretch.
The Raiders’ next two opponents in the Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints are on their backup quarterbacks due to season-ending injuries to Trevor Lawrence and Derek Carr, respectively. Meanwhile, their final opponent in the Los Angeles Chargers can clinch a playoff spot as early as Sunday and could elect to bench quarterback Justin Herbert and other key starters if their playoff position is determined.
Having three winnable games to close out the season is far from ideal in the eyes of Raiders fans who are desperate to see their team tank successfully.
The Raiders are the apple of Sanders’s eye, and the feeling could very well be mutual. Now it’s just a matter of making it work.
Shedeur Sanders courting interest from Raiders draft order rival
