Ex-NFL Scout Breaks Down Shedeur Sanders' Fall From Front Office Perspective

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Matt De Lima | Last updated May 17, 2025 2:19 PM ET

NFL fans seemed to delight in the draft fall of Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. However, Browns fans wonder if they got a steal in the draft by selecting the former Colorado Buffaloes signal-caller in the fifth round.

John Middlekauff, a former NFL scout, explained during his "3 And Out" podcast that Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning isn't the right comparison if he were to match Sanders' play and production in this upcoming season.

"Well yeah," said Middlekauff about whether Manning would be the first pick overall if he had a season like Sanders.

"If (Manning) puts up the same numbers (in the SEC) that Shedeur put up ... If Shedeur had done what he did in the SEC ... If you throw 30 touchdowns in the SEC, you get extra credit."

Through that lens, he discussed what Sanders did wrong during the NFL's evaluation period, resulting in his fall in the draft.

"The majority of players, even (Ashton) Jeanty ... It would be insane for those guys to not talk to every coach and GM that wants to talk to them. Shedeur wouldn't talk to any of the good teams."

He continues to explain that since most teams didn't talk to Sanders, they never would have considered him with a mid-round selection, resulting in many teams taking Sanders off their draft board completely.

Despite having little experience entering the 2025 college football season, the speculation about Manning is already rampant. Many believe he will be the No. 1 pick in the draft next year, and some feel the Longhorns quarterback might use all of his eligibility as his uncles Peyton and Eli Manning did during their collegiate careers.

Both quarterbacks come from NFL royalty; however, given past comments about how the Mannings would like Arch to take his time in college, it seems unlikely Manning will suffer the same fate as Sanders' draft fall.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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