The surprising wait got even longer for Shedeur Sanders.
The second round of the 2025 NFL Draft passed with just one quarterback selected, and the wait continued for Shedeur Sanders, whose quiet Day 1 was already a massive surprise. Louisville's Tyler Shough leaped him on the draft board to become the third signal-caller selected by the New Oreleans Saints, and Sanders' slide reached a shocking new level when Jalen Milroe and Dillon Gabriel flew off the board in the third round.
Widely projected as the second-best quarterback in the class and generally considered a first-round target, Sanders became the biggest story of the draft when he fell out of favor with NFL teams.
"We all didn't expect this of course, but I feel like with God anything is possible, everything is possible," Sanders said Thursday after he went undrafted on Day 1. "I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All this is is of course fuel to the fire. Under no circumstance we all know this shouldn't have happened. We're onto bigger and better things. Tomorrow is the day, we're going to be happy regardless."
Here is the national reaction to Sanders' slide beyond the second round:
Miami's Cam Ward and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart were the only quarterbacks selected in the first round, which was a stark contrast to last year's draft, which featured a historic run on signal-callers to open the action. That Shough heard his name called before Sanders was an even greater surprise than the other two.
Concerns over Sanders' coachability and demeanor surfaced in multiple conversations with league personnel, according to NFL Media's Tom Pelissero.
"The worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life," an anonymous NFL assistant coach said. "He's so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates. ... But the biggest thing is, he's not that good."
Quarterback-needy teams curiously passed on Sanders in favor of other prospects and even shied away from the position altogether in the early going. The Giants traded up to the No. 25 overall pick to take a signal-caller, but to the surprise of many, it was Dart who came off the board in the late stages of the first round rather than the Colorado star. The Raiders, Browns and Saints were among the other teams to pass on him.
Footage from Sanders' camp showed Colorado coach Deion Sanders shaking his head after the Saints went with Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. with their first-round pick.
"My bible says God uses the foolish things to confound the wise and he chose the weak things of the world that he may put to shame the strong!" Deion Sanders said on social media after the first round. "Please know God ain't done and God is just really getting started. Enjoy this lesson and stop stressing."
The on-field production throughout Sanders' two years at the FBS level made him a surefire NFL prospect, even with the reported concerns surrounding his demeanor. Sanders won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award last season as the top upperclassman quarterback in college football, and he picked up numerous first-team All-American selections after his record-breaking senior year. He left Colorado as the NCAA's all-time career leader in completion rate with a 71.8% mark, and he paced all quarterbacks last season with a 74.0% clip.
Ward, who was the surefire No. 1 quarterback in the class, came to Sanders' defense after his slide to Day 2. The two spent ample time together in pre-draft workouts and have been companions since the early days of their college football careers. They figure to go head-to-head eventually at the pro level, regardless of how long Sanders has to wait to be drafted.
"I've created a special relationship with him, especially me first getting to know him about five years ago when I started working with him when I was at UIW," Ward said at his introductory press conference with the Tennessee Titans. "But it did surprise me, because he's a good quarterback. He doesn't get a lot of the credit he deserves. Especially the plays that he made at Colorado; a lot of quarterbacks in the country aren't making those plays. When he gets his opportunity — I'm pretty sure it will happen soon today — he'll make sure he'll make plays on the field when he gets the chance."
Sanders' slide comes with financial implications as his contract will pale in comparison to what he could have earned as a first-round pick. His role is also in question, as it is clear that NFL front offices do not view him as a bona fide franchise quarterback.
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