Former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders helped revive a program with his father in charge. Deion Sanders' son understandably brings a lot of baggage with him, most of which isn't his fault. Whichever team drafts Shedeur will feel the heat to start him right away. If that team should struggle, the Deion-to-NFL rumors will start all over again. That alone, plus any flaws within Shedeur's game were always bound to lead to questions.
As FanSided's Colton Edwards mentioned in his scouting report, Sanders "pre-snap vision and ball placement across the short-to-intermediate...could help expand the field for an NFL team with a big need at quarterback. That being said, Sanders is not a first-round caliber, but his upside will allow teams to be comfortable taking him there."
In most drafts, Sanders would not be a first-round caliber talent. This is not most drafts, however, as the quarterback class is as weak as it's ever been. As much as Edwards praises Sanders, he also mentions some notable flaws, including an inability to thrive under pressure and a lack of mobility and pocket awareness. Those are traits Sanders will have to learn on the fly, but odds are the team which selects him won't have that sort of patience.
Just how far will Shedeur Sanders fall in the NFL Draft?
Sanders appears likely to fall out of the top-10 of the NFL Draft, depending on how much stock you put in Vegas odds. To be fair, most pundits and insiders also share that assumption, as Sanders has been dropping on draft boards to the point where he's now not guaranteed to go in the top-20. The Pittsburgh Steelers are perhaps the most intriguing fit, but they don't select until pick No. 21.
As Brian Giuffra of Sports Illustrated detailed, Sanders was a -180 betting favorite to go first just a few months ago. Now, his odds to be selected in the top-10 are just +210 per FanDuel. Heck, FanDuel is even offering a 'Shedeur Free Fall' market where you can be on just how far the Colorado product will dip in the draft. The odds of Sanders falling beyond the top-15 are currently -310. Per Giuffra, "what this tells you is that oddsmakers believe Sanders's chances of falling to the second half of the first round are over 75%."
Shedeur Sanders is not a first-round guarantee
That's not a good look for Shedeur, who will not be attending the NFL Draft on Thursday. There's a chance he knows something we don't. The pre-draft process was not smooth for Shedeur, as front offices questioned his combine meetings and claimed he came off as arrogant.
Even the Steelers, who selected Kenny Pickett despite his third-round grade just a few years ago, have their doubts about Sanders. Eventually, Shedeur's potential will overshadow his concerns. But in a class that lacks first-round talent at the quarterback position, there is no shame in waiting a year.
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