Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft Slide Continues Into Saturday: Still Undrafted After Three Rounds

Indianapolis, Indiana

Once seen as a potential first-round pick and a candidate to be the first quarterback taken, Sanders will now enter Day 3 still on the board. When the fourth round kicks off Saturday at 11 a.m. CT in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sanders will be looking to become, at best, the sixth quarterback drafted.

How Did We Get Here?

On Thursday, Sanders watched Miami’s Cam Ward go No. 1 overall to the Titans and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart get picked 25th by the Giants — both ahead of him. Friday didn’t bring better news: teams that seemed like good fits for Sanders passed on him repeatedly.

Louisville’s Tyler Shough was the first QB off the board Friday night, going 40th to the Saints. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe went 92nd to the Seahawks, and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel was picked 94th by the Browns.

Even quarterback-needy teams like Cleveland and Pittsburgh — who had multiple opportunities — passed on Sanders again and again. By the end of Friday night, Sanders posted a simple but powerful message on X (formerly Twitter):
“Thank you GOD for EVERYTHING.”

Saturday morning, he added:
“Another day, another opportunity to play the game I love. Thank you GOD.”

What Happened?

Leading into the draft, Sanders’ stock became murky. The Athletic’s Dane Brugler predicted he would be a “wild card” pick and, in his final mock draft, dropped Sanders out of the first round altogether.

Now, after 102 picks, the slide feels more like a free fall.

There’s no single reason why Sanders is still available, but several factors have played a role:

• Performance Questions: While Sanders throws a beautiful deep ball — showcased at Colorado’s pro day — there were concerns about his short-range accuracy and average arm strength.
• Leadership Doubts: Teams worried whether Sanders could command an NFL locker room as a franchise QB.
• Media Attention: Some franchises didn’t want the extra spotlight that would inevitably come with Sanders, especially given the involvement of his famous father, Deion Sanders.
• Draft Preparation: Sanders chose not to compete in the Shrine Bowl or throw at the Combine, and there were reports his interviews with NFL teams weren’t impressive.

A Surprising Slide

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., who had ranked Sanders fifth overall on his big board, expressed shock during the Day 2 broadcast:

“He’s going to come in motivated, with a chip on his shoulder. Remember, Kirk Cousins was a fourth-round pick. Dak Prescott too. Even Brady had to wait until late in the sixth.
Shedeur Sanders should have been a first-rounder. Now he’ll likely go in the fourth. Let’s see what happens.”

Former President Donald Trump even chimed in on Truth Social, urging teams to pick Sanders immediately:
“He should be ‘picked’ IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN.”

College Career Highlights

Let’s not forget: Sanders had an outstanding college career. Over four seasons — two at Jackson State and two at Colorado — he threw for 14,347 yards and 134 touchdowns, including a career-best 4,134 yards last season. Colorado even retired his jersey (alongside Travis Hunter’s, who went No. 2 overall) at their spring game earlier this month.

After Thursday’s tough night, Shedeur shared a message in a video posted by Deion Sanders on Instagram:

“We didn’t expect this, of course. But with God, anything is possible. Tomorrow’s the day. We’re going to be happy regardless. Legendary.”

Why Teams Are Hesitant

Some in the NFL believe that Sanders projects as a backup quarterback for now. Many coaches, fighting to keep their jobs, aren’t eager to bring in a backup who would draw more headlines than the starter.

Another concern: Sanders has only ever played under his father — meaning he’s never truly had to fight for a starting job. That dynamic has made teams cautious.

Still, many experts believe this situation feels like an overreaction. There’s no evidence that Deion would interfere in an NFL locker room, and Sanders was respected by his Colorado teammates.

At the very least, strictly from a football perspective, Sanders was a top-50 player in this draft. Seeing him still available is shocking.

Who Could Draft Him on Day 3?

Several teams could make a smart move by grabbing Sanders early on Saturday:

• New York Jets: Need a young backup behind Aaron Rodgers — and potentially a future starter.
• Philadelphia Eagles: Pick right after the Jets at No. 111.
• San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings, and Los Angeles Rams could also be in play, as all have strong locker rooms and proven coaches who can develop talent.

Bottom line: any team confident enough to manage the attention will be getting a talented quarterback with a chip on his shoulder. Sanders has the tools to prove everyone wrong — and if he does, this slide will be remembered as one of the NFL Draft’s biggest missed opportunities.

The Shedeur Sanders watch continues. Tomorrow could be the start of something legendary.