Around a year ago at this time, some projected Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders would be the first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Well, he may be the first pick — but on Friday night in a potential start to the second round.
One of the craziest draft storylines to emerge from Day 1 is Sanders’ fall past the first 32 picks, which some had predicted due to varying opinions about the polarizing prospect.
It’s possible he could be drafted by the Browns with the No. 33 pick to kick off the second round Friday. Cleveland also has the 36th pick after their blockbuster Day 1 trade with the Jaguars.
Cleveland is now the betting favorite to pick Sanders as of early Friday morning, but that’s a small consolation prize for Deion Sanders’ son.
“Sanders’ slip is attributable to both flaws in his game and the brash attitude he displayed during the pre-draft process, NFL sources told The Post,” Ryan Dunleavy reported.
It’s never a good thing when a prospect’s flaws are the bigger discussion leading into the draft, since it reveals why teams may be hesitant to take a prospect.
Several teams made it known anonymously that Sanders did not interview well with them.
One assistant coach told NFL Network that Sanders had “the worst formal interview I’ve ever been in in my life,” while labeling Sanders as “entitled.”
And while Sanders posted gaudy collegiate statistics, some debated just how good he is.
CBS Sports reported that more teams said they had second-round grades on Sanders than those saying he’s going in the first round.
Still, many believed that quarterback play is valued enough that the odds were slim of Sanders not being selected in the first round, especially with trade-up possibilities for the Giants and Browns.
ESPN revealed during the extravaganza that its draft day predictor projected a 97 percent chance Sanders would be selected Thursday night.
That three percent, though, won the day.
The Giants traded up for Jaxson Dart, which ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper disagreed with since he vouched for Sanders. The Browns passed on adding a quarterback. The Steelers may be waiting for Aaron Rodgers. And the Saints beefed up their offensive line.
“We all didn’t expect this, of course,” Sanders told his family and friends at his Texas draft party. “But I feel like, with God, anything is possible, everything is possible. I don’t feel like this happened for no reason. All this is is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstance, we all know this shouldn’t have happened. But we understand we onto bigger and better thing, tomorrow’s a day, we gonna be happy regardless.”
Entering Round 2, FanDuel expects the Browns will select Sanders and have assigned Cleveland -170 odds to do so.
The Raiders (No. 37) and Saints (No. 40) have the second-best mark at +550 odds, while the Rams (No. 46) are fourth with +900 odds.
The Rams have been floated as a potential destination due to the uncertainty of Matthew Stafford’s future and could draft Sanders and let him learn under the veteran before taking over.
The Jets (No. 42) have +950 odds to land Sanders.
