NFL Draft 2025 roundtable: Which Day 2 QB intrigues, where is Shedeur Sanders’ best fit now?

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The biggest question heading into Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft was where Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders would land after sliding out of the first round on Thursday.

It was still the biggest question as Day 2 concluded.

NFL teams selected 70 players in the second and third rounds of the draft, but Sanders — the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders who was widely believed to be the second-highest rated passer in the class — wasn’t among them. The shocking fall was easily the top story on a day that saw three other quarterbacks selected.

After the conclusion of the third round, The Athletic’s Mike Sando, Dan Pompei and Ted Nguyen weighed in with their thoughts on Day 2.

What was your favorite Day 2 pick?

Nguyen: Nick Emmanwori was a player who needed to get drafted in the right system because of his unique skill set. Seattle traded up to get the versatile safety, and Mike Macdonald’s diverse system is perfect for Emmanwori, whose specialty is man coverage. Emmanwori’s tape isn’t clean. He’s guilty of missed tackles and blown assignments in coverage, but if Macdonald can coach him up and clean up his game, Emmanwori has Kyle Hamilton-like ability. He’ll likely get used as a tight end eraser early in his career, as Hamilton was.

Sando: Jalen Milroe to the Seahawks in the third round was interesting. GM John Schneider fared well taking Russell Wilson in the third round back in 2012, pairing Wilson with a dominant defense to win with a specific style. Seattle’s defense is on the rise now under second-year coach Mike Macdonald. Milroe is not Wilson, but he’s extremely athletic, cost only a third-round pick and can sit behind Sam Darnold for now.

Pompei: With the 15th pick of the second round, the Cardinals took a cornerback who could have been chosen a full round earlier if not for durability concerns. Michigan’s Will Johnson was considered the second-best cornerback in the draft after Travis Hunter by many evaluators. He started three seasons for one of the country’s elite programs but never ran a 40-yard dash in the pre-draft process. If he had run a 4.4, Johnson never would have been available in the mid-second round.

Which non-Sanders quarterback selected on Day 2 (Tyler Shough to the Saints, Milroe to the Seahawks, Dillon Gabriel to the Browns) are you most intrigued by?

Nguyen: Shough could have an opportunity to start right away depending on the health of Derek Carr, so it’ll be intriguing to see how he pans out. Before the draft, my Shough comparison was Carr. Both can read defenses and have arm talent, but struggle under pressure. Both are also athletic but clumsy at the same time. Shough looks like a first-round pick when he’s protected, but he can panic and has made some wild plays trying to get rid of the ball, putting the ball in harm’s way with the pass rush barrelling down on him. He’ll have some weapons to work with New Orleans. If they can protect him, Shough could make some plays.

Pompei: No question it’s Milroe. Even if he never is a starting NFL quarterback, he should be a player who makes an impact. Given the way offenses are evolving and minds are being expanded, Milroe should be able to make significant contributions to the Seahawks and/or other teams that embrace unconventional offensive ideas, but we shouldn’t rule out Milroe becoming a starting NFL quarterback just yet.

Sando: It’s Shough for me because he’s joining an offensive play-calling head coach in Kellen Moore and figures to play sooner than later. Most did not have him getting selected so early. Did the Saints see something others did not see?

What new regime (Patriots, Bears, Jags, Raiders, Jets, Saints, Cowboys, Titans) made the biggest splash through the first two days?

Sando: Chicago stands out with three offensive players drafted among the first 56 picks under an offensive-minded head coach, Ben Johnson, who seems adept at maximizing personnel. Colston Loveland and Luther Burden III are hand-picked pieces for Johnson to utilize in his vision. No other team with a new head coach added so many pieces likely to contribute right away.

Pompei: The Cowboys gave new coach Brian Schottenheimer some talent to work with. The focus in Dallas has been on wide receiver, but the team took value picks in the first three rounds at other positions. Tyler Booker could be the next Zack Martin at guard. Donovan Ezeiruaku should be an excellent complement to Micah Parsons (and also give the Cowboys a hedge in case they can’t sign Parsons to a contract extension). And cornerback Shavon Revel is gifted enough to have been chosen considerably higher than 76th.

Nguyen: The Jaguars’ trade up for Travis Hunger is the biggest statement of the draft so far, considering it was the first draft for general manager James Gladestone. It signals how much they believe in Hunter’s ability to be a game-changer and sets the tone for how aggressive a regime they’ll be. Talk about planting your flag early.

Which team still has work to do to fill a hole for the 2025 season?

Pompei: The expectation was the Steelers would add a quarterback, but they drafted a defensive tackle and running back with their two picks so far. The Steelers lost Russell Wilson and Justin Fields in the offseason. As of now, their starter is Mason Rudolph. It’s very possible Aaron Rodgers will decide to play and make the position a strength for Pittsburgh. But even with Rodgers, the Steelers still need a young developmental prospect. They have the 21st pick of the fourth round, and Shedeur Sanders is still available.

Sando: Tennessee holds two fourth-round picks and two fifth-rounders, giving the Titans an opportunity to get help for new quarterback Cam Ward. Hitting on some of those picks would be big for a team that selected defense with its second- and third-round choices after making Ward the first player selected.

Nguyen: The Giants got the best pass rusher in the draft and their quarterback of the future, but they have a lot of holes on the roster that they haven’t addressed. They have a glaring need on their offensive line, and they could use another legitimate weapon to complement Malik Nabers.

What’s the biggest non-Sanders-related surprise through two days?

Sando: How about Sean Payton standing pat in the first round, then trading back multiple times on Day 2? Payton hadn’t traded back since the 2000s! The Broncos’ coach has been aggressive over the years, including in his first Denver draft (2023), when he moved up repeatedly. But there was zero evidence of impulsivity from the Broncos through the first two days.

Pompei: Jacksonville was supposed to stand pat with the fifth pick and take Ashton Jeanty or Tyler Warren. And as a rule, teams don’t pay a ransom to move up three spots in the first round to take a non-quarterback. But that’s what the Jaguars did in an unconventional trade that enabled them to select Travis Hunter. They will regret the move if Hunter does not develop into an all-pro either on offense, defense or both. But if he does, it will all be worth it.

Nguyen: Dillon Gabriel going before Shaduer Sanders, Will Howard, and many other quarterback prospects is a huge surprise. He’s 5-11 with a weak arm and no standout traits, plus he’s 25 years old. I thought he was going to be a late-round pick or go undrafted. What are the Browns looking for in a quarterback? This is a franchise that just traded for Kenny Pickett after making one of the worst trades in NFL history to acquire Deshaun Watson.

After not being selected through three rounds, what’s the best landing spot for Sanders?

Pompei: ​​​​The Titans took Cam Ward. The Giants picked Jaxson Dart. The Saints selected Shough. But each of those teams could consider adding a second rookie. It would be reminiscent of the Cowboys in 1989. Jimmy Johnson took Troy Aikman with the first pick, and then chose Steve Walsh with the second pick of the supplemental draft. He allowed them to compete, then traded Walsh to the Saints the next year for first, second, and third-round picks. Maybe it’s an unlikely scenario, but everything that has happened with Sanders has been difficult to imagine.

Nguyen: I was surprised that the Steelers didn’t take him in the third round. I thought that would be floor for him. They need a quarterback with Aaron Rodgers still being an uncertainty, and Sanders could come in and give them a floor at the position. Maybe they’ll nab him in the fourth. The Steelers have weapons and a run game to support a young quarterback. If not the Steelers, maybe the Raiders would consider picking him and letting him sit and learn behind Geno Smith.

Sando: I’m having a hard time finding a logical landing spot based on where the other quarterbacks have gone, so I’m going to have some fun here. With apologies to Brian Schottenheimer, how about Dallas? Jerry Jones is all about generating publicity, right? No story would deliver more attention and drama day in and day out. Jones also has a strong enough relationship with Sanders’ famous father, Deion, to navigate the situation better than most owners could. Dak Prescott would remain QB1, but he missed nine games last season, and the newly acquired Joe Milton is his backup.

(Photo of Tyler Shough: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

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