Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders' tumble out of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft could work out for the best.
Sanders — the son of Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders — will have less pressure to be a starter from Day 1. Sanders addressed the slide in a speech at his draft-day party on Thursday.
"All this is – is of course fuel to the fire," Sanders said. "Under no circumstances, 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 gonna be happy regardless. Legendary."
Sanders (6-1, 212) will be the target of criticism for that draft-day slide leading up to the start of Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisc., on Friday. The good news?
Sanders should not have too long to find a home in the second round. Several of the teams who were projected to take Sanders in the first round have early picks in the second round. Here are the five best landing spots for Sanders in Round 2:
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Shedeur Sanders' best landing spots in Round 2
Cleveland Browns (No. 33 or No 36)
The Browns will have two chances early in the second round to get Sanders – who we had in the conversation to be the No. 2 pick. This would be the ultimate value pick for general manager Andrew Berry. Cleveland has started seven different quarterbacks the last two seasons, and Joe Flacco is a short-term solution to get through the rest of Deshaun Watson's five-year contract. Let's get this out of the way, too – Sanders is a better pick here than Louisville's Tyler Shough. Don't overthink it.
Las Vegas Raiders (No. 37)
Las Vegas is another team to watch. Pete Carroll is a veteran coach, Chip Kelly is back in the NFL as an offensive coordinator, and Geno Smith, 35, is on a two-year contract. Smith fell to the second round in the 2013 NFL Draft when he was projected as a first-rounder. He could be a strong mentor for Sanders, who could be the future starter in an offense that has young stars in Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. We don't hate it.
New Orleans Saints (No. 40)
The Saints have been a projected fit throughout the draft process, and first-year coach Kellen Moore did not get Jaxson Dart in the first round. Derek Carr is dealing with a shoulder injury, and the Saints' brass has been evasive when answering questions on his future. If Carr is out, then it would be a battle with Spencer Rattler, a fifth-round pick in 2024. This is the best landing spot if Sanders has the expectation to be a starter as a rookie. We like the pairing with first-year coach Kellen Moore.
New York Jets (No. 42)
Justin Fields is on a two-year prove-it contract, and Sanders could push for that starting job if he plays well. First-year coach Aaron Glenn could promote that competition in Year 1 with New York trying to separate from the two-year Aaron Rodgers era. Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson are young playmakers, and that pairing with Wilson could be exciting knowing Sanders had a 45.3% completion percentage on passes of 20 yards or more at Colorado last season.
Dallas Cowboys (No. 44)
Would Cowboys owner Jerry Jones come to the rescue? Dallas made a savvy first-round pick to get Alabama guard Tyler Booker, and Sanders could play the role of backup to Dak Prescott, who is under contract through 2028. Would Jones be willing to bring in the drama and rampant speculation about the timetable for Sanders to get a shot at the starting job? When has that stopped the Dallas owner in the past? This would be the most-entertaining Day 2 landing spot.
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Shedeur Sanders' sleeper landing spots in Round 2
Los Angeles Rams (No. 46)
Would LA be ready for Shedeur? It's another situation where veteran Matthew Stafford is the starter, but the 37 year old is on a restructured contract. The chance to work with Sean McVay would be a plus in Sanders' development, but how long would he have to wait behind Stafford?
Miami Dolphins (No. 48)
Interesting potential landing spot here if Sanders fell this far. Tua Tagovailoa, the No. 5 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, has a well-documented history. Still, it's tough to promote Sanders as a future starter with Tagovaioloa on a $212.4 million contract that runs through 2028.
Seattle Seahawks (No. 50)
The Seahawks have Sam Darnold on a three-year contract with an opt-out in 2027. Would Sanders be willing to sit behind Darnold, who is coming off a career year in Minnesota with 4,319 yards, 35 TDs and 12 interceptions. We do not see Sanders falling down to the No. 50 pick, so Seattle would have to make a minor trade to move up and get Sanders.
MORE SHEDEUR SANDERS NEWS:
- Why did Shedeur Sanders fall out of the first round?
- DeCourcy: Reality bites Shedeur Sanders at the NFL Draft
- 10 most shocking NFL Draft slides of all time
- Meet Derrick Harmon, the player Steelers picked over Shedeur Sanders
Would Steelers trade up for Shedeur Sanders?
The Pittsburgh Steelers do not have a second-round pick. Their next pick is in the third round at No. 83, and they do not have multiple picks in any remaining round in 2025. That makes trading up for Sanders difficult, and Pittsburgh could have selected him with the No. 21 pick in the first round if they wanted to sell him as the next franchise quarterback. It seems doubtful the Steelers would be able to move up that far without cutting into their Day 2, Day 3 or 2026 NFL Draft picks.