Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft Stock: Where Will He Land?

The consensus No. 2 QB in the upcoming NFL Draft, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, could potentially be looking at several landing spots on draft day.

The No. 1 overall pick seems out of the question. There were some rumblings the team holding the No. 1 pick — the Tennessee Titans — could trade down or address a different position of need. Tennessee’s free agent class tells a different story. The Titans weren’t in on any of the QBs that were moved, and spent big on the offensive line. That may indicate that they’re planning on bringing in a rookie passer. And, they’re said to be enamored with Cam Ward who has solidified himself as the No. 1 QB in the pool.

Cleveland holds the No. 2 pick and are in a peculiar position. The Browns traded away a young QB — Dorian Thompson-Robinson — and a draft pick to acquire Kenny Pickett. Free agent Russell Wilson visited the facility recently. And, they still have Deshaun Watson on the roster who won’t be playing next year while recovering from an injury. The Browns very well could still use the No. 2 pick on a QB, but it’s likely they go another direction.

Pick No. 3 belongs to the New York Giants who are definitely looking for a quarterback. However, they may still prefer a veteran. The Giants were reportedly interested in acquiring Matthew Stafford before he returned to the Rams. With Stafford off the board, Aaron Rodgers is a potential option. Giants HC Brian Daboll and GM Hoe Schoen know they’re firmly on the hot seat. Projecting a Rodgers’ resurgence might be more palatable than hoping a rookie pans out.

Many were linking Sanders to the Las Vegas Raiders at pick No. 6. Vegas recently added to their QB room in the form of Geno Smith. They hired Pete Carroll in the offseason and made him the oldest head coach in the league. It doesn’t look like Carroll had any interest in a rebuild, and they’ll likely be using their first-round pick on a player to upgrade a position other than QB.

The Jets seemingly addressed their QB vacancy by signing Justin Fields.

New Orleans is the last team in the top-10 with a realistic chance of drafting Sanders. They already announced they’re bringing back Derek Carr for 2025. Under GM Mickey Loomis, the Saints have famously never accepted a full rebuild. It’s more likely they stick with Carr for another year and gear up for the 2026 class.

Outside of the top-10, it’s anyone’s guess where Sanders may land. Indianapolis is in a weird situation with Anthony Richardson who hasn’t lived up to his draft billing. Miami and Arizona both paid their QBs as franchise guys, but probably aren’t overly thrilled with the situations they’re currently in.

The only team remaining without a QB currently in place is the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21. Pittsburgh recently brought back Mason Rudolph who spent last season in Tennessee. He joins Skylar Thompson as the only two QBs on the roster. There’s a chance they bring back Russell Wilson, but the way last year ended — with six straight losses — left a bad taste. Either way, the Steelers traded for star wideout DK Metcalf to pair with George Pickens. It seems unlikely that they plan on rolling out Rudolph as the Week 1 starter with those two at wideout.

Could the lack of QB-needy teams drafting in the bottom-half lead to Sanders falling into the second round? Perhaps. The Browns have the first pick of Round 2, and may be more intrigued with adding Sanders after already drafting someone like Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter.

However, history has shown that teams are willing to trade back into the first round to select a QB and get that fifth-year option.

Sanders’ accuracy, touch, and toughness are coveted skills at the pro level. He played behind a woeful offensive line at Colorado and still managed to put up big numbers (4,134 yards, 37 TDs in 2024) and while leading the nation in completion percentage (74.0-percent). Teams covet his skills at the next level, and it will be interesting to see where he lands and how the team plans on developing him.