Shedeur Sanders was not drafted in the early rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft largely due to a combination of factors involving evaluations of his talent, character, and team needs. Although once considered a potential first-round pick and even a top-10 prospect, Sanders fell to the fifth round (144th overall) with the Cleveland Browns. Key reasons for this draft slide include:
- Scouts and NFL teams saw Sanders as a polarizing quarterback prospect. While he posted strong college stats and displayed impressive deep passes and accuracy, concerns were raised about his pocket presence, mobility, average arm strength, and ability to deliver consistent shorter throws. Some teams doubted he was a first-round starter-level talent.
- The pre-draft process and off-field perceptions influenced teams. Sanders did not participate in the Senior Bowl or NFL Combine, which hurt his evaluation. His father, Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, and the family’s high-profile approach—including a flamboyant draft party and comments about draft preferences—contributed to some teams not wanting to get involved in the "Sanders family circus." This included worries about his leadership style and focus as a teammate.
- The 2025 draft class’s quarterback team needs were limited. Several teams with quarterback spots to fill selected others earlier, leaving fewer opportunities for Sanders despite his potential. The Browns, who eventually took him in the fifth round, did so after careful evaluation and despite the long wait.
- NFL insiders also suggested that Sanders’ draft fall involved subjective factors including possible cultural bias and nervousness about his celebrity image and off-field distractions, which some scouts considered a distraction in the team environment.
In summary, Shedeur Sanders' draft slide was caused by a mix of on-field concerns about his readiness and skill set, team aversion to perceived distractions around him, a limited market for quarterbacks in the draft, and a pre-draft process that did not fully showcase his abilities to all teams. Despite this, many analysts and fans consider him a talent worth high selection, and his late draft position was one of the biggest surprises of the 2025 NFL Draft.
