NFL exec calls Shedeur Sanders 'fringe starter,' wary of pro upside: report
Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders is expected to be taken early in the first round in the 2025 NFL Draft, but one NFL executive appears to believe he isn't worth a selection of that caliber.
ESPN did a round-up of what he's hearing ahead of the Draft, which will kick off in Green Bay in two weeks. And one "NFC personnel man" hasn't been impressed with Sanders, the son of NFL great Deion Sanders.
While he admits "good decisions" are made by the young signal caller, he doesn't feel Sanders will lift a franchise to the next level, which is the expectation for a high first-rounder.
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"Fringe starter who makes good decisions and does some good things, but won't get you over the top," the personnel man told ESPN.
Throughout the draft process, Sanders has garnered mixed reviews from experts. While Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward appears to be the consensus top prosect at his position in this year's crop of prospects, Sanders' draft stock has fluctuated. It's the first round, but where exactly is a mystery.
SHEDEUR SANDERS TOUTS HIMSELF AS ‘BEST QUARTERBACK IN THE DRAFT’
The ESPN report also discusses Sanders' personality, a heavily-discussed subject as he has interests outside the game. Of course, in today's world of college athletes allowed to profit off their own brand, it's expected.
"I'm fine with Shedeur's personality – he's tough and works really hard," an AFC executive tells ESPN. "He needs to be in a timing offense – three-step drop, timing, throw."
Now, while his decision-making process appears to get checked boxes from most, Sanders' upside is something another AFC executive is wary of.
"If it was me, I couldn't do that," the executive told ESPN when asked if they would choose Sanders top-10. "Not [a] great athlete, not big, not strong, undisciplined game, comes with scrutiny. Is he going to be good enough?"
Teams and experts will say what they want, but Sanders won't be taking it to heart. Following his Colorado Pro Day, Sanders' confidence, which has been on display from day one, shined when he said he believed himself to be the best quarterback in the draft.
"All I need is an opportunity," he said, via ESPN "Simple. Whatever franchise wants to change their franchise, then there's no doubt who to go with. I've done it over and over and over. So you would be a fool not to pick me.
"What's the most important trait about a quarterback?… Consistency? Look at the last four years. That's how I know I'm the best quarterback in the draft.... What checks all boxes? It leads to one guy."
In Fox News Digital’s first mock draft, Sanders was slated to go No. 3 to the New York Giants. But the Colorado standout could be selected by any team in the top 10.
In his final year playing for his father and the Buffaloes, Sanders notched 4,134 passing yards with 37 touchdowns.