Sanders’ Fall from First Round Sparks Controversy, But Highly Expected Pick in Second Round
Shedeur Sanders, the star quarterback from the University of Colorado, entered the 2025 NFL Draft with high expectations, but after Thursday’s first round, his name was still nowhere to be found. Despite widespread buzz leading up to the event, Sanders was passed over by all 32 teams in the opening round, leaving many fans and analysts shocked.
The quarterback, who had been projected as a potential top pick, now finds himself looking at the second round as the best possible outcome, potentially behind quarterbacks Cam Ward from Miami and Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss.
Although whispers had surfaced about a potential slide down the draft board, no one truly expected Sanders to fall out of the first 32 picks. Teams like the New York Giants, who had reportedly expressed interest, passed on him twice, first at pick No. 3 and again when they traded back into the first round to select Dart at No. 25.
Shedeur Sanders Responds: Fuel to the Fire
Despite the disappointment, Sanders took the snub in stride, offering a resilient and optimistic response in a speech shared by his father, Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. “We all didn’t expect this, of course,” Sanders admitted, acknowledging the surprising turn of events. However, he quickly made it clear that this setback wouldn’t break him.
“With God, anything’s possible. Everything’s possible. I don’t feel like this happened for no reason,” Sanders said, turning the experience into a source of motivation. “All this is, of course, fuel to the fire. We’re on to bigger and better things.”
The young quarterback’s ability to stay composed in the face of adversity speaks to his mindset, which could propel him to greater heights in the future. “Tomorrow’s the day,” he continued, embodying the spirit of resilience. “We’re gonna be happy regardless.”
Controversy and Criticism
The build-up to the 2025 Draft had been anything but smooth for Sanders. Over the course of the pre-draft process, a series of negative reports, including anonymous NFL sources criticizing his performance and interviews, overshadowed his once-high draft stock. Comments labeling him as “entitled” and “not very good” were particularly damaging, sparking heated responses from his father and fueling a narrative of “hate” in the evaluation process.
Deion Sanders, who has been vocal in defending his son throughout the process, took to social media to react to ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky’s comments about Sanders’ play on the field, especially regarding the sacks he had taken. “Yes he did! Wow,” Deion tweeted in response to a fan who criticized Orlovsky for his harsh stance. The back-and-forth only highlighted the deepening tension surrounding Shedeur’s draft prospects.
The Cam Ward Overshadowing: A Surprising Draft Night Narrative
While the first overall pick, Cam Ward, was the consensus favorite leading up to the draft, he became somewhat of an afterthought during the broadcast. Despite being widely regarded as the No. 1 pick, the new quarterback of the Tennessee Titans received little airtime during ESPN’s coverage, with much of the attention shifting toward Shedeur Sanders and his unexpected fall from the first round.
For much of the evening, the narrative surrounding Sanders, who hadn’t even been selected, dominated the conversation. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. spent significant time analyzing Sanders’ potential, and even a highlight reel for the Colorado quarterback aired, all while Ward sat in the background. Pro Football Talk called attention to this odd broadcast shift: “Cam Ward has been ignored for weeks, and now that he’s about to be drafted, Mel Kiper is talking about Shedeur Sanders???”
Teams to Watch: Sanders’ Future in the NFL
As the second round of the draft approaches, multiple quarterback-needy teams are still in play. The Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints, and Las Vegas Raiders are all expected to be in the market for a quarterback, with Sanders now a likely candidate to be selected early on Day 2. Whether he is picked early or not, one thing is certain: the chip on his shoulder will likely make him a force to reckon with when his name is finally called.
In a draft full of surprises, Shedeur Sanders’ journey is just beginning. How he handles this adversity could define his career, and if his response to the first-round snub is any indication, bigger things are still on the horizon.
