Shedeur Sanders' Unexpected Draft Slide

At the start of the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was considered one of the most significant wild cards. He'll also be a wild card on Friday, it turns out. Sanders, who had a great 2024 season and set an all-time FBS record with a career completion rate of 71.8 percent, was not selected in the first round of the draft. He is now waiting for his fate to be decided ahead of Friday night's start of Round 2. In a video posted to social media after the completion of the first round, Sanders admitted he did not expect to go undrafted Thursday but appeared upbeat.

"We all didn't expect this, of course," Sanders told the crowd gathered at the location where he watched the draft. "However, I believe that God makes it possible for anything to happen. "I don't think this happened by accident. Naturally, all of this adds fuel to the fire. Under no circumstance -- we all know this shouldn't have happened. But we understand, we're on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow's the day. We're going to be happy regardless."

Shedeur, the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and the son of Colorado coach and Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, was one of the draft's most debated prospects. In addition, he is a one-of-a-kind candidate because of his enormous fame and personality, which are only surpassed by his immense self-assurance. Sanders has long acknowledged that he is not your typical candidate, but it is unknown whether any of those factors contributed to his precipitous fall. "You think I'm worried about what critics say or what people have to say," he said during the NFL scouting combine in February. "You know who my dad is? They hate on him, too."

Sanders declined an invitation to attend the draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, opting to spend the evening in his native Texas with family and a number of guests. The night did not bring them much to celebrate, however.

At several points Thursday, it appeared his moment might come.

The Cleveland Browns, in need of a quarterback and having traded down from the No. 2 pick, opted for Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham. The New Orleans Saints, at No. 9 and with an uncertain quarterback situation, selected Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks.

Later, anticipation built when the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have been in protracted talks with veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers but have no proven starter on their roster, approached at No. 21. But Pittsburgh went in a different direction, selecting Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon.

Finally, the New York Giants caused a stir when they traded back into the first round, acquiring the 25th pick by exchanging picks with the Houston Texans. But instead of picking Sanders, New York picked Mississippi's Jaxson Dart.

It was likely a frustrating series of events for Sanders, who repeatedly had expressed his view of himself as one of the draft's top prospects. He stated at the combine that he would alter the outcome for the team that selects him. "If that's not what you're trying to do, don't [pick] me," he said. "Don't [pick] me if you aren't trying to change the franchise or the culture. You ought to be aware that history repeats itself repeatedly, and I have done it repeatedly. So, it should be no question."

Sanders went on to say that he and his father "changed two programs back-to-back from Jackson State to Colorado." So, you don't think I could change the program again at an NFL team? Sanders is now in a position to suffer a fate comparable to that of some quarterbacks who have surprisingly been eliminated from the first round in the past. In 2023, Will Levis, a projected early first-round choice, slipped to Day 2 and was picked by the Tennessee Titans with the first pick of the second round. The New York Jets selected Geno Smith at No. 1 in 2013 after he was eliminated from the first round. 39.

An early test case will come right away Friday night. The Browns have two chances to acquire Sanders because they hold the 36th pick and the 33rd pick, which is the first selection in the second round. Beyond that, other possible landing spots include New Orleans (No. 40). The Steelers do not have a second-round pick.

WRITTED BY ME