Since Shedeur Sanders entered the college football landscape, he has showcased supreme accuracy and decision-making, and yet, he remains the more heavily scrutinized prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. The best part about Sanders’ game is his incredible poise and precision that seemingly gets better in must-have situations. The ability to hyperfocus and find success in critical moments is an overlooked trait in a quarterback. Through the years, Sanders has proven that he’s capable of getting the job done in the waning moments of a football game.
One could make the case that Shedeur’s game is picked apart more than most, and that’s partially because he’s the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. Despite pressure to perform, at or near the level of his father and head coach, Shedeur has carved his own path, turning in exceptional performances at both Jackson State and Colorado. At both stops, he earned national accolades and essentially rewrote each school’s record books.
In his freshman year at Jackson State, Sanders exploded onto the scene, positing 3,231 yards and 30 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. Those numbers paved the way for Sanders to claim the Jerry Rice Award, which is presented to the top freshman in FCS football. He was even better in his sophomore season as he put up 3,732 yards and 40 touchdowns. After posting those numbers, he was awarded the Deacon Jones Trophy which cemented his status as the best player among all HBCU programs. His transition to
While he posted numbers, on par with his freshman season in his first season at Colorado, the Buffaloes had major protection issues which limited the offense as a whole. While protection issues remained in 2024, the offensive line wasn’t quite as porous as it was the year prior. His 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns ushered the Buffaloes to a 9-4 record and an Alamo Bowl appearance. He also earned the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in his final season at Colorado. Sanders’ 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 74 percent completion rate are all single-season school records.
From my vantage point, Sanders’ Football IQ, anticipation, and poise are second to none in this draft class. He’s often knocked for a lack of arm strength and poor pocket presence, but I don’t believe either of those items will be an issue at the next level. Where Sanders can stand to improve is by continuing to work on shortening his delivery. A more compact delivery will help him improve upon his already good enough velocity. Sanders also developed some bad habits behind a bad offensive line. He occasionally tried to make plays when he would’ve been much better off throwing the ball away and living to fight another down. With that said, his team needed him to take prudent risks to remain competitive as their season was reliant upon Sanders’ right arm.
While Sanders is projected as a first-round pick, he’s my QB1 in this draft class. He’s been compared to the likes of Geno Smith, Teddy Bridgewater, and even Jared Goff, but not as much has been made of the fact that his skill set is eerily similar to that of Joe Burrow. If he happens to land in a West Coast offense that features a steady run game and/ or a talented receiving back, (which is something he never had at Colorado), and pass-catchers that are a threat after the catch, Sanders’ precision passing and pre-snap/ post-snap recognition will go a long way toward him having a successful NFL career.
If Sanders lands with any one of the three teams below, he will eventually become a perennial Tier 2 Fantasy QB at minimum.
Best Landing Sports for Shedeur Sanders
The New York Giants signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this offseason. Those additions will allow the Giants the opportunity to slowly integrate Shedeur Sanders into the lineup if he is indeed the pick. As it stands, the Giants offense offers the type of versatility that is capable of generating mismatches. Running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. is a former wide receiver turned running back who has enough speed to separate from linebackers as a receiver on a consistent basis. Wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson is the opposite of Tracy. He’s a former running back turned wide receiver who excels at generating yards after the catch whether he’s lined up at receiver or the running back position. Tracy and Robinson are two players who are capable of making Sanders’ reads more defined as a result of their versatility.
Last year’s No. 1 pick Malik Nabers went over 1,000 yards in his rookie year, and he’s also a player who wins early in his routes and has a knack for making defenders miss in the open field. The Giants offense is teeming with players that would accentuate Sanders’ skill set and send his Fantasy value through the roof. Head Coach Brian Daboll is known for his ability to adjust to the skill set of his players and with Sanders at the helm, he’ll be sure to utilize the quick passing game to get his young quarterback in rhythm. While the Giants do lack a bona fide, top-12 Fantasy running back, setting up play-action with the likes of Tracy, Eric Gray, and Devin Singletary on outside zone, will help the Giants consistently generate explosive plays.
The Raiders are also without a top-tier running back, and Geno Smith is currently in place as the starting quarterback. Landing in Las Vegas would likely mean that Sanders has to wait his turn, but that could actually be beneficial, given the team’s lack of depth on the offensive side of the ball. The Raiders will need to use the draft to bolster their wide receiver corps and offensive line, but they already have Brock Bowers — a budding star at tight end — and a true home run threat in Raheem Mostert at running back. If, for any reason, Sanders is asked to start this season, he’ll at least have a reliable target in Bowers and a dynamic back like Mostert to help keep the offense moving.
Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly is often linked to athletic quarterbacks, but he’s proven capable of running a successful offense without a true dual-threat QB. He’s worked with the likes of Nick Foles, Mark Sanchez, and Sam Bradford in the past and should be able to maximize Sanders’ skill set. If the Raiders are able to draft a player like Savion Williams with the No. 37 pick, he’d be an ideal complement to Sanders. Williams gets open quickly and is electric after the catch.
With weapons like Bowers, Jakobi Meyers, Mostert, and potentially Savion Williams, Sanders could be competitive as a rookie if called upon to start. While Geno Smith’s presence likely means Sanders will sit and develop in Year 1, that time on the bench could allow the Raiders to continue upgrading their offensive line. This selection makes a lot of sense — it keeps Sanders well-insulated while also enhancing the offense in key areas.
Kellen Moore will be the new head coach and play-caller for the New Orleans Saints this season and Sanders is an ideal fit for his offense. One of the staples in Moore’s offense is the “Mills concept.” It’s a cover-2 beater that often involves a post and a crosser, that’s designed to put the safety in conflict. Two-high shells are becoming more prevalent across the NFL landscape and Sanders has the experience, accuracy, and anticipation needed to execute this concept consistently. Saints wide receiver Chris Olave also possesses the speed to quickly eat up cushion to threaten safeties deep on post patterns. If Rasheed Shaheed is the player asked to run the crosser out of the Mills concept, he’ll have a ton of space to run if the safety carries Olave on the post.
The Saints also have Alvin Kamara, who is a tremendous receiving back. He’ll serve as an outlet receiver in the flat, which will give the Saints cheap yards when teams elect to bring pressure. There’s also the mismatch component with Kamara as he’s shown that he’s capable of winning on routes beyond the typical swing or flat route. The Saints should look into finding another back in the 2025 NFL Draft to pair with Kamara if Sanders is the pick in Round 1 to take pressure off of the young quarterback. A downhill runner like Quinshon Judkins, DJ Giddens, or Cam Skattebo, should all be on the Saints’ radar. Kellen Moore’s offense in a dome that features speedy weapons on the flanks, and toughness between the tackles would bode well for Sanders having an immediate impact.
For more on Sanders, Dave Richard’s full scouting report is a must read that dives into his All-22 film review of Sanders’ strengths, weaknesses, and more.
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