Now who is the hottest contender in the 2025 NFL Draft race? Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders is one of them. Having grown under the wings of the Hall of Famer dad Deion Sanders, the Buffs QB was expected to land big in the pro league. But the reality is a lot different. Every single day, Shedeur is losing his glitz and glamor. He has now become the ‘red flag’ bearer. First, it was his off-field shenanigans and now it’s his athletic skills that are getting criticized. In the process, his fate with the $7.3 billion NFL giant has hit the pause button.
Shedeur’s NFL Draft narrative went like this. First, he thought himself to be the No.1 pick. Then his first blow came with ESPN analyst Field Yates’ mock draft where he projected the QB to be the No.6 overall pick. Deion’s son kept defending himself claiming, “That’s cap, bruh. I ain’t going sixth.” Then came CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli who projected Shedeur going as the No.21 overall pick. While Shedeur could make terms with this fact, came NFL Rookie Watch’s post that put the Buffs QB in a critical light for putting efforts in multiple fields. It read, “One anonymous NFL GM reportedly believes there’s ‘red flags’ to Shedeur’s personality between his fiery attitude and the watch flexing.” Here comes another blow for Deion’s son.
This is going to be a much bigger problem at the NFL level than it was at Colorado
He took a lot of sacks trying to escape against Big 12 defenders who wouldn’t even crack a practice squad The athleticism gap will widen in the NFL
Whoever drafts Sanders better get their OL right https://t.co/hUNzG0iz9x
— Dan Schneier (@DanSchneierNFL) March 19, 2025
Shedeur’s gridiron action now turns out to be shaky. Why so? As NFL Network analyst Nate Tice pointed out, “Shedeur Sanders has a bad tendency to drift backwards in the pocket when he doesn’t see things cleanly downfield or when he feels pressure.” In that way, it makes him prone to an increased sack risk. This also reduces his throwing power and accuracy. At the same time, puts too much on the offensive tackles’ plate. Reposting Tice’s tweet, CBS Sports analyst Dan Schneier raised an alarm for the ones pursuing Shedeur.
He wrote, “This is going to be a much bigger problem at the NFL level than it was at Colorado.” That’s because the defensive scheme is more complex in the pro league. Plus, the defensive linemen and edge rushers are much faster. And if the QB drifts backward, it gives defenders an easier angle to chase him down. Schneier further wrote, “He took a lot of sacks trying to escape against Big 12 defenders who wouldn’t even crack a practice squad. The athleticism gap will widen in the NFL. Whoever drafts Sanders better get their OL right.” Now will the $7.3 billion NFL giant back off from the Shedeur plan?
Quarterback-hungry NFL giant eyeing Shedeur Sanders
According to Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft, the New York Giants are likely to land the Buffs QB. Kiper predicts that Sanders will be taken with the No. 3 pick. But mind you. Shedeur is not the only target for Brian Daboll and Co.. They are also pursuing the 41-year-old NFL veteran Aaron Rodgers. and Russell Wilson. However, the former New York Jets QB is at the backfoot. As RJ Young shared on his podcast, “[Rodgers] is 41 years old and that ain’t Tom Brady out there. That is a guy who is inviting all sorts of attention to your franchise – which might be something you want.”
So how are the Giants going to benefit if they land Shedeur? “It’s also Shedeur Sanders is bringing attention to your franchise. Shedeur Sanders is bringing star power to your franchise and it’s the kind you want.” Now come on, the star power does not have to do with his Hall of Famer dad and the Buffs HC. The 23-year-old did set his feet strong in Boulder. He holds the first position in a lot of categories.
The Buffs QB now holds the first position in Colorado’s single-season passing yards (4,134) 1st in Colorado’s single-season completion percentage (74.0%) and so on. However, it’s highly likely that Brian Daboll and Co. will be more interested in what Shedeur brings to their table than what he had cooked back in college. Shedeur’s talent is undeniable, but without a strong O-line, he’s just another QB under siege. Do the Giants have the resources to shield their prize?
The post CBS Analyst Exposes Shedeur Sanders’ Red Flag as NFL Fate With $7.3B Franchise Hangs in Balance appeared first on EssentiallySports.