Shedeur Sanders still available in 3rd round of NFL draft as stunning fall continues for Colorado QB

By Canadian Press on April 25, 2025.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The wait continues for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who was widely viewed as a first-round talent but was still available in the third round of the NFL draft on Friday.

It was a stunning fall for Sanders, who garnered so much attention over the last several months that his slide to the draft’s second day was the dominant storyline of the NFL’s spring extravaganza and even caught the attention of President Donald Trump.

In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump criticized teams for not selecting Sanders and said the quarterback’s “PHENOMENAL GENES” made him “all set for Greatness.” And that was before the second round came and went with Sanders’ name still on the board.

Sanders spent the last four seasons playing for his outspoken, at times polarizing father — Hall of Famer Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders — first at Jackson State and later at Colorado. He finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy balloting last season while throwing for a school-record 4,134 yards and helping Colorado go 9-4.

Sanders initially was rated by some draft analysts as a better QB prospect than Miami’s Cam Ward, who ultimately went No. 1 overall to Tennessee. But as the draft drew closer, concerns began to emerge.

One issue: Sanders was sacked 94 times over his last two college seasons. There also were worries about his arm strength and questions about how well he would adapt to playing for someone other than his dad. And given his high profile, teams might be reluctant to pick him if they view him as a backup.

Only two quarterbacks have been taken since Ward went No. 1 overall.

For a few moments Thursday, it appeared Sanders’ wait might be over when the New York Giants traded up to the 25th pick, but the team opted for Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart.

The lone quarterback selection in the second round came when New Orleans passed on Sanders in favor of Tyler Shough, a 25-year-old who finished his college career at Louisville after making stops at Oregon and Texas Tech. Shough was chosen 40th overall.

Saints veteran quarterback Derek Carr has what general manager Mickey Loomis described as a “shoulder issue,” leaving his availability uncertain heading into offseason workouts.

Cleveland had two of the first four picks in the second round and has a clear need at quarterback after the team got little production out of Deshaun Watson, who will miss the upcoming season with a torn Achilles tendon. Kenny Pickett and 40-year-old Joe Flacco are the Browns’ current QBs.

Yet the Browns selected UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger at No. 33 and Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins at No. 36.

Sanders didn’t travel to Green Bay for the draft. Instead, he watched the proceedings with his family in Canton, Texas.

“We all didn’t expect this of course, but I feel like with God, anything’s possible, everything’s possible,” Sanders said in a video posted on YouTube on Thursday night, adding: “Tomorrow’s the day. We’re going to be happy regardless.”

Another player regarded as a potential first-round selection had a longer wait than expected. Michigan cornerback Will Johnson, who was in the green room during Thursday’s first round, went to the Arizona Cardinals in the second round with the 47th overall pick.

A reported knee issue caused Johnson’s stock to fall.

“It’s just frustrating,” Johnson said. “I know what I’m dealing with, and I know I’m healthy and I know how my body feels. I’m just going to go out there and show that on Sundays and show everybody what they missed out on.”

The second round featured several trades.

Seattle and Miami traded up to get picks early in the round. The Seahawks chose South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori with the 35th overall pick. The Dolphins took Arizona guard Jonah Savaiinaea at No. 37.

Buffalo moved up 16 spots to take South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders at No. 41. The Bills dealt their 56th, 62nd and 109th picks to Chicago while getting the Bears’ 72nd and 240th picks in return.

T.J. Sanders will have an immediate opportunity to make an impact with offseason free-agent addition Larry Ogunjobi expected to miss the first six games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy.

The second round also included the selection of three more players from national champion Ohio State, which had four players taken in the first round. The Buckeyes’ running back tandem went early in the second round, with Judkins followed by TreVeyon Henderson, who went 38th overall to New England. Indianapolis took edge rusher JT Tuimoloau at No. 45.

Seven of the first 45 selections played at Ohio State.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Steve Megargee, The Associated Press

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