One of the more intriguing storylines in this year’s draft coverage is Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders’ stock and how long Sanders might have to wait to hear his name called after the draft opens on April 24. There has been some chatter that the scion of Colorado HC and NFL legend Deion Sanders could slip out of the first round entirely, though ESPN’s draft analysts do not expect that to happen.
In a subscribers-only roundup of the latest draft rumors, ESPN’s Jordan Reid says he does not anticipate Sanders falling past the Jets, who hold the No. 7 overall selection. New York saw its latest swing at a first-round QB prospect (Zach Wilson) fail spectacularly, a miss that undermined the fortunes of otherwise talented rosters, and precipitated the failed Aaron Rodgers experiment.
Gang Green signed Justin Fields to a two-year, $40MM contract earlier this month, and while there is still some hope that Fields can grow enough as a passer to sufficiently complement his running ability and to turn himself into a an upper crust QB1, the short-term nature of the deal illustrates his current deficiencies in that regard. Sanders may be an imperfect prospect, but his reportedly poor performance in team interviews does not undo the touch, accuracy, and pocket presence he displayed on the field. It would thus not be terribly surprising to see the Jets’ new regime, with its 2025 starter already in place, take a shot at a high-upside talent.
One player who has been something of a forgotten man in the constant QB-related chatter surrounding the Jets is 2024 fifth-rounder Jordan Travis. Travis was in the midst of a terrific final season at Florida State in 2023 when he suffered a gruesome ankle injury that torpedoed his own draft stock. New York took a flier on him last year, though he redshirted his entire rookie season while rehabbing the injury.
According to Travis’ agent, Deiric Jackson, the Jets’ since-ousted staff rushed Travis’ rehab, thereby undermining his chances of seeing game action in 2024.
“His rehab with the Jets was not the best,” Jackson said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “They tried to rush him. It was too fast. There was pressure on the coaching staff and they tried to get him going sooner than the timeline really was. That caused the setback, and we had to shut him down completely.”
The nature of the setback Jackson mentioned is unclear, though Cimini says new HC Aaron Glenn and his staffers are excited to work with Travis. At the moment, the former Seminole is behind Fields and veteran Tyrod Taylor on the depth chart, and drafting a player like Sanders would immediately put Travis’ Jets future in doubt. But if the club takes a different route in the draft, Travis could get enough reps to prove himself worthy of at least a backup job down the road.
For all of the talk suggesting Ole Miss signal-caller Jaxson Dart or even Louisville’s Tyler Shough may have surpassed Sanders on draft boards around the league, Reid believes the Giants – who own the No. 3 overall pick – would be hard-pressed to pass on Sanders. With Cam Ward looking increasingly likely to go to the Titans at No. 1 overall, one AFC executive told Reid the Giants are praying the Browns take a top non-QB talent with the No. 2 pick, thus leaving Sanders available to be selected at No. 3. Just yesterday, we learned that Big Blue’s signing of Jameis Winston would not preclude the hot-seat tandem of GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll from signing a veteran passer like Rodgers or Russell Wilson and adding a QB via their top draft choice.
In the same subscribers-only piece cited above, ESPN’s Field Yates confirms Sanders has a legitimate chance to be a top-three choice and is unlikely to fall out of the top 10-15 selections (despite some sources expressing their worry about making Sanders a top-10 pick). Similarly, Yates and Reid colleague Matt Miller notes the chatter about a dramatic Sanders slide has not come from anyone employed by an NFL club.
Miller acknowledges the Browns remain a viable landing spot for Sanders, and he believes the Steelers and their No. 21 pick represent the prospect’s floor. Pittsburgh has designs on a championship run in 2025, as it recently acquired and extended WR D.K. Metcalf and is seemingly making a hard push for Rodgers. That said, HC Mike Tomlin’s famous streak of .500-or-better seasons rarely leaves the team in position to draft a premium QB prospect, and the 41-year-old Rodgers (and even the 36-year-old Wilson, if the Steelers revisit that possibility) are obviously short-term fixes. The pre-draft concerns that could lead to Sanders falling a bit could also represent a real opportunity for Pittsburgh, as was the case when its AFC North rival Ravens nabbed Lamar Jackson with the No. 32 pick in 2018.
This is all ESPN click bait BS. Thanks for reposting it here so we don’t have to waste our money reading this nonsense on that site.
I initially had someone trading up to like 25ish for him from 33-35
But I think the Saints will gladly take a high r2 + a 2026 1st for pick 9
Giants prob getting both Shedeur and Hunter
I think that’d be a trade New Orleans would wait for draft night on, just in case McMillan falls, as unlikely as that might be; but I do think it’d be one they’d happily do.
McMillan is impossible to rank, but i definitely have him available for saints at 9
If Saints did my NYG trade, they’d have picks 34 and 39ish
Could package one of those with a 3rd and move up and get a good WR in the 20s (potentially even McMillan), but more likely Golden, Egbuka or Burden.
I have Edgbuka going 31 to Bills, so imagine that, adding the Giants 2026 R1 + their own r2 + giving up (say a 4th and 34th to move up to 30th and land Egbuka too
That would be a masterclass for the Saints, and the Giants get their franchise QB , so they wouldn’t complain either
I just think if Browns don’t take Sanders, then he slips to at least 9, so Giants could be very tempted to dangle that 2026 R1 to get their top 2 targets on draft day
Giants have pick 34. I don’t think Sanders goes past 15 so that would have to be a big trade up.
Yes sir. The wind does seem to be blowing that way
I feel bad for any team dumb enough to draft Sanders that high.
I feel bad for anyone as dumb as you. Can’t even chew gum and walk.
pot.kettle.
Lol butthurt jockriders say what?
What are you, in middle school?
lol no way he would fall past Jerry at 12….
The original Barnum and Bailey ringmaster
I would welcome him in Dallas as he isn’t Dak… so there is that
If the Steelers are thinking about taking a low ceiling QB with their first round pick instead of taking a DT or CB, then maybe signing Rodgers isn’t as dumb as it seems.
Like if burning yourself on the stove keeps you from jumping out of a plane sans parachute.
If he’s not worth trading up for in the top 10 because he’s such an obvious franchise QB, let someone waste 3 years with him.
He is worth a gamble…but I am not the biggest fan
Not falling out of the 1st round. If he falls it will be similar to Lamar’s.
who cares about the interview process. Tom Brady has the IQ of a gnat and he’s going to the Hof. My God, that guy’s stupid but he knows how to play QB and that’s all that matters. You have to remember that 90% of football players wouldn’t have passed highschool if they didn’t play football and get special treatment.
This is one of the dumbest posts I’ve ever read on the internet.
Seriously.
Genuinely embarrassing take.
Which gnat? It matters.
And terrible terry Bradshaw was a rumpkin like not important and he wears multiple rings.
I swear, sometimes when I read the comments on this site, I feel like I’m on Reddit.
Sanders isn’t worth a first round pick if we are being honest. The media hype and name brand are have given him so much exposure with most of it being unwarranted. This is the truth. He holds onto the ball too long, is not a dynamic athlete, decent arm.
How many games of his have you watched? What he does well is read a defense and process quickly unlike most college level QBs. He holds the ball to long but that’s mostly because of the offense and slow developing plays Colorado ran. He has a fairly good arm and is accurate. Stop repeating media BS. Guess you think Cam is the best QB in this draft too.lol. BTW. He is not even top 3.
Sanders falling to the Steelers would be a dream outcome for the kid. Sure you lose a few mill on your rookie contract but you’d be in a much better situation than say Giants or Raiders or anyone in the top 10.
I do wonder if 49ers would be tempted to take Sanders knowing they can trade Purdy and let someone else pay him mega bucks and try to do a reset with a new rookie QB contract for 5 years.
Dear lord what?
Purdy is so much better than him it’s not even funny.
Purdy is also going to cost minimum 35 40 mill a year compared to Sanders who will make 4 years 25 mill or so as the 11th overall pick and come with a reasonable 5th year option instead of an expensive franchise tag.
Purdy is a below average QB who fell into a good situation. You’re comment shiws lack of football knowledge.
Sit this one out shiws
Not falling past pick 3. Anyone saying different is full of crap.
The Giants will trade up to take Sanders- the Giants fear if Ward goes Number One- that the Browns may select Sanders instead of the Penn State defensive end. Imho the Giants will move up to get the quarterback that they craving for. Especially with a GM/ Head Coach on the Hot seat
There are a whole lot of actual Giants fans who differ with you…..Graham, Carter, or Hunter at #3…..Sanders just has too much flash for Marra and when you get him, you get Papa too….no thanks….let Jerry Jones make that mistake…..
Having watched Fields play against the Lions numerous times I would easily take him over Sanders. I think he has untapped potential as a passer and was a major threat when he tucked the ball and ran. Being in Chicago did him no favors.
He’s been showing that same “untapped potential” since his sophomore year at Ohio State.
He was GREAT college quarterback, and he should have stuck around for one more year. I honestly believe that one more year with Ryan Day would have set Fields up to be an NFL superstar.
Yes, more comments by ESPN “experts”…..