Shedeur Sanders Catches Huge Break in Latest NFL Draft Projections

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Max Dible | Last updated Jan 1, 2025 10:11 PM ET

Arguably no player in all of college football will have his fate affected more by the shuffling atop the 2025 NFL draft order than Colorado Buffaloes star QB Shedeur Sanders.

Things were going swimmingly for Sanders a little over two weeks ago, when the New York Giants and Las Vegas Raiders occupied the top two spots in the draft. Both are big market teams with significant need under center and young, top-end targets in the passing game -- rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers in New York and rookie tight end Brock Bowers in Las Vegas.

However, the past two contests have seen the Raiders win twice and fall to the eighth pick in April's first round, while the Giants won last weekend and dropped from the No. 1 spot all the way to fourth. Meanwhile, the New England Patriots moved into the first slot followed by QB-needy franchises in the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns.

Most signs point to both the Titans and Browns going quarterback in round one, while the presence of rookie Drake Maye should remove the Patriots from the running for a signal caller.

That said, Josh Edwards of CBS Sports projected in his most recent mock draft that Sanders will catch two massive breaks. First, Edwards predicted that the Titans will land the prize free agent of the 2025 class and sign Sam Darnold away from the Minnesota Vikings, freeing Tennessee up to select wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan of Arizona

Second, Edwards predicted that the Browns will pass on Sanders in favor of Cam Ward, the Miami Hurricanes quarterback who just set the all-time D-I record for career passing touchdowns with 158.

"Neither Ward nor [Sanders] is a prospect who has to be taken in the top-5 overall," Edwards wrote. "In this scenario, the Titans went a different route because they were not enamored with their options. New York still gets Sanders, but a few picks later."

Of course, there is always the possibility that the Patriots trade out of the top spot, which could change all the math once again.

However, the Giants and Raiders would be two of the top candidates to make a deal with New England to move up to No. 1, should the opportunity present itself. And each would presumably do so with the sole intent of selecting Sanders with that pick.

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

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