Things went from bad to worse for Shedeur Sanders on Day 2 of the NFL Draft. After suffering a first-round snubbing, the Colorado quarterback’s ultimate destination has still yet to be decided, going undrafted through the first three rounds.
Once projected as the fifth-best player overall on NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s big board, Sanders' freefall has become... legendary.
"For Deion Sanders and Shedeur Sanders, all I can say is, I think it's disgusting," Kiper Jr. said on SportsCenter With Scott Van Pelt. "I don't understand what the heck is going on with this [slide]. [He was] the fifth player on my [draft] board. This has never happened before in 47 years where a player [ranked] that high has dropped this far."
In total, five quarterbacks were taken over Sanders in the first three rounds. And that decision cost him significantly, according to CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani.
"Sanders missed out on approximately $11,817,802 by falling out of the third round compared to if he were selected at No. 21 overall," Dajani reported.
After falling out of the top 10, many believed Sanders would land with the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 — a spot that would have earned him around $18 million. Instead, the 102nd pick, which went to the Minnesota Vikings to end the third round, is projected to make around $6.1 million.
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With Sanders' dramatic slide, some have started questioning whether he could return to Colorado for another season to repair his draft stock. However, CBS Sports’ Robby Kalland noted that based on the NFL’s College Advisory Committee rules, Sanders forfeited his remaining eligibility once he declared for the draft.
"Now, there's nothing participants in collegiate athletics love more than going to court, so perhaps Sanders could sue to try to regain his eligibility," Kalland wrote. "We've seen underclassmen sue for the right to leave school early — Ohio State's Maurice Clarett, for example — but never to return to college football. Short of that, his college career is over, whether he gets drafted or not."
Even if Sanders somehow pulled off the unprecedented feat of returning, Kalland added, it might not change much. It appears to be more of a talent perception issue — and Colorado would also have to awkwardly un-retire his number.