Very few prospects in this draft class have been talked about more than Shedeur Sanders.
Seemingly every week, the University of Colorado quarterback makes headlines. He has dazzled on the field for the Buffaloes, being one of five quarterbacks to throw for over 4,000 yards and second in passing touchdowns with 37, only behind the 39 thrown by fellow top prospect and Heisman finalist Cam Ward from Miami.
While this should make Sanders a shoo-in for a high first round pick, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, some scouts are not convinced Sanders is worthy of a first-round selection at all.
“I’ve already talked to people in the league who don’t have anything close to a first-round grade on the guy,” Pelissero said. “He certainly has fans. He certainly has a high profile.”
“In my conversations, there is healthy skepticism among people in the league that when it comes to the end of this process and we get to that last week of April, that somebody’s going to jump out there and use a really high pick on making him a franchise QB.”
For a team like the Las Vegas Raiders, who have been linked to Sanders for months, this news comes as both concerning and exciting.
While Sanders has flashed his talent numerous times during his tenure in Boulder, games like the Alamo Bowl against the BYU Cougars may have lead to some polarization on how scouts view him.
On top of that, the team who drafts Sanders will have to be willing to handle the media firestorm that comes with him. Boulder has been in the epicenter of one since Shedeur and head coach Deion Sanders arrived and, for the team that drafts the younger Sanders, rumors of Deion joining him will not be far behind.
To complicate matters further for Sanders, some scouts and general managers around the league do not hold a high opinion of him or Ward, with some rating both below all six of last year’s quarterbacks drafted in the first round.
“They should definitely be behind Bo Nix, in my opinion,” said an anonymous AFC GM, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
“I could see people grouping ((Atlanta Falcons quarterback) Michael Penix Jr.), Ward and Sanders together, but honestly, it’d probably just come down to picking your favorite flavor among the three. None of them really scream ‘franchise QB’ to me.”
Despite this sudden negative attention on Sanders, it is unlikely that he will fall out of the first round. The quarterback position is too highly valued in the modern NFL, and he and Ward are the only two considered to be ‘pro-ready’ in the eyes of most analysts.
Sanders will not have to wait long to hear his name called on draft day, but the comments of Pelissero and sources around the league add a new wrinkle to the journey.
Shedeur Sanders announces plans for draft night amidst rumors
