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Rece Davis Reveals Where He Thought Shedeur Sanders Should Have Gone

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jaron Spor | Last updated May 10, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Shedeur Sanders falling to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft sparked significant scrutiny and discussion. He was projected to be a first-round pick, or at the very least, a second-round selection. However, as the draft progressed, Sanders' name was absent from the list of picks.

This unexpected outcome followed an outstanding college career. Sanders began at Jackson State in the FCS before transferring to the Colorado Buffaloes in the FBS after his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, became the head coach in Boulder. During his time at Colorado, he threw for 7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, while completing an FBS record 71.8% of his passes over two seasons.

Rece Davis mentioned on the "College GameDay Podcast" that Sanders' game tape did not reflect a player who should have been drafted in the fifth round.

"I don't think, in my judgment, watching the tape, and whatever you want to make of that, whether I have qualified eyes to watch tape or not, I don't think he's a top five pick right now," Davis said. "That doesn't mean he won't be a top-five quarterback. As we always say, people are allowed to improve. I do think it was first-round tape. Late first round, early second round tape."

Davis mentioned that when Sanders' ranking declined, he took some time to understand the reasons behind it. He and many others concluded that something must have occurred during the pre-draft process. Davis noted that this phenomenon has affected other players in the past, but it has become a more significant story due to Sanders' star power.

Davis expressed hesitation in using a phrase he had heard: "You have to be better than your problems." He believes the most plausible explanation is that the NFL may have felt that Sanders' tape, demeanor, leadership, and personality did not outweigh their concerns about him as a player.

Now, Sanders will be competing with Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel, a third-round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, for a spot on the Browns' roster.

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

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