3 lucky teams who should pounce on Shedeur Sanders if NFL Draft stock slips

The NFL Draft rumor mill is starting to crank up and Shedeur Sanders is the latest victim. The former Colorado star has suddenly gone from a potential No. 1 overall pick to a prospect that could fall out of the top-10 altogether.

NFL Network analyst Tom Pelissero recently went on record to say that a number of NFL scouts don't even have a first round grade on Sanders. It seems unlikely that he'll fall all the way out of Round 1 given the positional value teams place on quarterbacks in the draft. It's still a clear sign that Sanders' stock is dropping at the moment.

The gunslinger's declining stock should be music to the ears of general managers who don't project to have a top-five pick. Now, it's very possible that Sanders will be in play for quarterback-needy teams who did not think they had a chance to select him just a few weeks ago. The three following teams should be most interested in him if he falls on draft day.

Sheduer Sanders dark horse team No. 1: New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints currently project to have the No. 10 pick in Round 1 entering Week 18, and certainly have a need at the quarterback position. Landing Sanders would give New Orleans a reasonably priced signal-caller to build around for the first time in years.

The tumultuous nature of the NFC might even give the Saints a chance to compete for a division title next year with a talented rookie talisman to ignite their offense. Their ability to compete next year and interest in Sanders will be greatly influenced by who they hire as their next head coach.

One concern about Sanders going to the Saints is the lack of quality skill players to help him on the team's current roster. Alvin Kamara's future with the franchise is up in the air. They desperately need an infusion of talent at the wide receiver position. Going to New Orleans might place too much pressure, too soon on a rookie quarterback. That won't stop them from giving Sanders a long look if they can draft him without engineering a trade to move up.

Sheduer Sanders dark horse team No. 2: New York Jets

The New York Jets don't know if they want Aaron Rodgers back next season, but they need a young quarterback to build around no matter what happens with their aged veteran. Sanders could really benefit from learning behind Rodgers for a year if New York is willing to exercise that sort of patience.

The Jets' interest in Sanders will also be influenced by the identity of their next head coach. Unlike the situation in New Orleans, this is a franchise with quality weapons at the skill positions. It's easy to envision a scenario where Sanders and wide receiver Garrett Wilson forge a partnership that can fuel the team's offense for years to come.

New York is projected to have the seventh pick which seems to be squarely in Sanders' updated draft range. They might hesitate to draft a signal-caller if Rodgers is going to remain on the roster, but it's time for them to start to build for the future. Acquiring Sanders in Round 1 would help them push the reset button in a big way.

Sheduer Sanders dark horse team No. 3: Seattle Seahawks

If Sanders' draft stock continues to decline it could open up the possibility of a strong playoff team drafting him as a high-value pick in the back half of Round 1. The Seattle Seahawks would love the chance to future -roof their quarterback position by acquiring Sanders' to backu p Geno Smith for a season or two.

Sanders and Jaxson Smith-Njigba would be ideal building blocks for the Seahawks' offense. D.K. Metcalf could also benefit from playing with a quarterback who demonstrated elite accuracy in college. Sanders might not want to sit behind a veteran for as long as he might in Seattle, but that shouldn't stop the Seahawks' brain trust from nabbing him if he falls to them on draft day.

One other consideration that might complicate taking Sanders for Seattle is their desire to load up for one more playoff run with Smith at the helm of their offense. Taking Sanders in the first-round would prevent them from adding a premium prospect who can play alongside Smith. This could easily turn into a debate between future-proofing and present-day maximization for the team's front office.