Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders did not throw at the NFL Combine on Saturday. He's not injured, he just prefers to showcase his skills at the Big 12 Conference Pro Day instead of in front of scouts in Indianapolis.
#Colorado QB and potential top pick Shedeur Sanders plans to focus on his interviews with teams at the NFL Scouting Combine, helping them continue to learn him as a person.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 23, 2025
He’ll allow his four years of film to speak loudly, then throw at his Pro Day with four draftable CU WRs. pic.twitter.com/Ai1Ul6I4lV
That kind of confidence (maybe just a tad of arrogance, as his podium comments about immediately changing whichever team drafts him would suggest) does not seem to be serving him well to date. According to The Athletic's Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed, one of Sanders' top suitors — the Las Vegas Raiders — apparently aren't as sold on him as has been led to believe.
Shedeur Sanders may be resting too much on his laurels ahead of NFL Draft
In the wake of QB Matthew Stafford deciding to remain in Los Angeles with the Rams, several teams have had to reconfigure their plans to address their glaring holes at quartreback. The Raiders are very much among that group, considering minority owner Tom Brady attempted to court Stafford days before the veteran made his decision.
The team met with both Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward at the combine, with the latter seen more as a target of the New York Giants (who could trade up for the No. 1 spot to get him). The Athletic's sources indicated those meetings yielded better results from second- and third-round passing prospects like Alabama's Jalen Milroe and Texas' Quinn Ewers.
Sanders' career year in 2024 will certainly speak for itself either way. His 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdowns prove he's a high-caliber passer that will improve any NFL roster. And he'll still have opportunities to wow scouts and convince team management he's the first-round pick he's been billed to be. However, this early posturing of not throwing at the combine could leave his case lacking in the war rooms on draft night, and The Athletic suggests that Sanders might fall a bit further in the first round than we've previously suspected.
While he sits back and tries to charm teams in meeting rooms, other prospects are improving their stock on the field. He must be careful he's not writing checks he can't cash.