
The first round of the 2025 NFL Draft came and went Thursday, and arguably the biggest name of the entire pre-draft process was not called: Shedeur Sanders. Despite crowning himself the best quarterback in the class, arguing that teams would be “fools” not to trust him as a franchise-changing talent, the Colorado product proved too shaky of a prospect to warrant anyone’s Day 1 investment.
And then it all happened again on Friday, with all 32 teams looking elsewhere. By the end of the night, three rounds had passed, and Sanders remained unselected, despite once headlining expert projections that had him as a potential top-five pick in the entire draft.
So what’s next for the son of former NFL great Deion Sanders? Will he finally find a taker on Day 3? We’ll find out soon enough. The final day of draft action, featuring Rounds 4-7, kicks off Saturday at 12 p.m. ET.
In the meantime, here are some potential landing spots for Sanders:
9. Philadelphia Eagles
Yes, it might sound crazy; they just won a Super Bowl, and Jalen Hurts isn’t going anywhere. But isn’t Sanders viewed as a backup now, having fallen this far? And aren’t the Eagles always proactive when it comes to cultivating quarterbacks? What if Shedeur slips all the way to the sixth or seventh? Hurts wouldn’t be fazed by his entry, and general manager Howie Roseman could have himself a spicy trade chip if Sanders turns into a quality No. 2 for a contender. The club just dealt Kenny Pickett, remember.
8. Arizona Cardinals
They aren’t among the red-alert quarterback-hungry teams. And it might be awkward to put a personality of Sanders’ size on the bench behind both Kyler Murray and Jacoby Brissett. Still, Murray could soon be expendable if he doesn’t make a playoff-caliber leap in 2025, his seventh as the team’s starter.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
Their offseason has been all about aiding Trevor Lawrence. But Lawrence also has an injury history. Sanders could make for a high-upside insurance policy, and an instant upgrade on Nick Mullens at the No. 2 spot. He’s also got a built-in connection with new playmaker Travis Hunter.
6. Indianapolis Colts
They paid a reasonable price for Daniel Jones to battle with Anthony Richardson this summer, but considering they’re holding an open competition at all, wouldn’t team brass be open to a third candidate? Sanders would arguably give coach Shane Steichen an even purer pocket passer.
5. Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott is the guy, but Jerry Jones has played around with younger insurance options of late, trading picks for Trey Lance (2023) and Joe Milton (2025) as high-upside backups. What’s another late-round flyer if it also means throwing a bone to an old Cowboys great in Deion Sanders?
4. Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay has fancied himself some reclamation projects under center (see: Baker Mayfield, Carson Wentz), and maybe Sanders slipping this far means he would fit the bill. Matthew Stafford is 37, after all, admittedly operating on a year-to-year timeline, so Los Angeles could use a developmental arm.
3. New York Jets
They’ve spent most of the draft adding help for new quarterback Justin Fields, not competition for him. Still, a one-year deal is a one-year deal; Fields is a trial-run option until further notice. The Sanders family in the New York spotlight might be wild, but again, this is about value at a position of importance.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
They’re the hardest to pin down, seeing as they have arguably the NFL’s biggest remaining hole at quarterback, yet they’ve calmly passed over Sanders twice already. Even if Aaron Rodgers eventually puts pen to paper, couldn’t Sanders come in with lower expectations as an heir apparent now that he’s slid so far?

1. Las Vegas Raiders
They’re in win-now mode with Geno Smith and Pete Carroll running the show, but Smith is 34 and rumor has it Sanders has strong ties to minority owner Tom Brady. Vegas has obviously passed on Sanders multiple times already, but at some point, the value might be worth the gamble.
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