The New York Giants had a chance to pick Shedeur Sanders twice during the first round of the NFL Draft. They passed on him at No. 3, choosing to take EDGE Abdul Carter. Then they traded back into the first round and took Jaxson Dart instead.
Sanders had a rough enough night slipping into the second half of the first round. It had to hurt when the Pittsburgh Steelers went a different direction at No. 21. But teams trading back into the backend of the first were supposed to jump on the Sanders value pick. That it was the Giants who paid him that disrespect had to make it all the more painful.
When Colorado played in the Alamo Bowl in December, Sanders wore a pair of custom Giants cleats.
The cleats were red with blue accents and featured the Giants' NY logo. The message was clear: Come get me.
The answer was a resounding, "No, I don't think I will."
Giants added insult to injury during Shedeur Sanders draft tumble
ESPN's coverage of draft night featured plenty of conversations around Sanders. The question: Is he a first round talent? Panelists seemed to agree he was. So did most mock drafts produced leading up to the draft. The teams sent a different message.
It's a humbling fall for a quarterback who spent much of last year expecting to be the No. 1 pick in the draft. As draft evaluations went on, it became clear that Miami's Cam Ward would take that crown instead. Still, it's entirely unexpected to be sitting here with the end of the first round in sight and Sanders still without a home.
The good news for Sanders is many a great NFL career has begun with a draft slide and hurt feelings. Lions All-Pro Amon-Ra St. Brown still recites a list of the receivers chosen ahead of him as a motivating mantra. For Sanders, that list now includes Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart. He'll hope it ends there.