Shedeur Sanders 'most intriguing' Prospect Since Johnny Manziel

Still, opinions remain divided — and ESPN’s Peter Schrager believes the intrigue surrounding Sanders mirrors one of the most polarizing prospects in recent memory: Johnny Manziel.

“Shedeur Sanders is the most interesting draft prospect since Johnny Manziel,” Schrager said on Get Up. “This guy could go as high as No. 2 overall, or slip to the end of the first round or early second. Yet, we will be watching every last second until he’s selected.”

It’s a loaded comparison. Manziel, nicknamed “Johnny Football,” was a college phenom at Texas A&M and won the Heisman Trophy in 2012. He was electric on Saturdays, but his NFL career — marred by off-field issues — fizzled after just two seasons with the Cleveland Browns.

To be clear, Schrager wasn’t comparing Sanders to Manziel off the field. By all accounts, Sanders is disciplined, mature, and locked in on football. But like Manziel, he is a media magnet, a superstar quarterback whose every move will be dissected, from pre-draft interviews to preseason throws.

That spotlight — fair or not — comes with the Sanders name. And with his father being one of the most iconic players in NFL history, expectations are sky-high.

The bigger question is where Sanders will land. Schrager speculated the New York Giants could pull the trigger as high as No. 3 overall. But other analysts have suggested Sanders could slip into the teens or even the back end of the first round, depending on how teams evaluate his transition to the pro game.

Sanders has faced doubt before and responded — thriving in his first season at Colorado amid media chaos and a battered offensive line. But the NFL is a different animal. Whether he becomes the next franchise QB or a cautionary tale, Sanders’ path will command attention at every step.

And that’s exactly what makes him, as Schrager said, the most fascinating prospect in the draft since Johnny Football.