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Shedeur Sanders Predicted to Replace $150 Million 4-Time Pro Bowl QB in NFL Mock Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jonathan Adams | Last updated Apr 25, 2025 11:59 AM ET

Shedeur Sanders did not hear his name called on Day 1 but the latest NFL mock drafts indicate the Colorado Buffaloes quarterback may not have to wait long in the second round. Sanders was once projected to be a potential top-10 pick, but it appears NFL teams were not as high on the star as many fans and analysts.

The star quarterback addressed attendees at his opening night draft party following his round one slide.

"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything (is) possible, everything possible," Sanders said on Thursday. "I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All this is, is of course, fuel to the fire.

"And under no circumstance, we all know this shouldn't have happened. But we understand we're on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow's the day."

Travis Hunter paused his presser to see if the Saints were going to select Shedeur Sanders pic.twitter.com/xhRW33OxX2
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) April 25, 2025

Sanders' slide could be good news for quarterback-needy teams who passed on a signal-caller in the first round. The New Orleans Saints would be wise to have a contingency plan given Derek Carr's shoulder injury.

Carr's tenure with the Saints has not gone as planned with the four-time Pro Bowler missing seven games in 2024. This does not account for the recent injury that Carr revealed this offseason.

Deion Sanders reacting to the #Saints picking Kelvin Banks Jr.

Deion had New Orleans as a likely landing spot for Shedeur, who wasn’t drafted on Day 1. pic.twitter.com/AF5IBy1gvv
— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) April 25, 2025

Carr's four-year, $150 million contract is slated to run through 2026, putting the Saints in a financial bind. Yet, Sanders' status as a potential second-round pick means New Orleans is getting a bit of a discount compared to selecting a quarterback in the first round.

A few words about Shedeur Sanders, anonymous sources and how the NFL Draft actually works. pic.twitter.com/9UEpGKuxmW
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 25, 2025

With the opening night in the books, The Draft Network's Justin Melo put together a second-round mock draft. The analyst predicts the Saints will stop Sanders' slide by selecting the quarterback with the No. 40 overall selection.

Melo also projects the Cleveland Browns will select Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe with the No. 33 pick, ahead of Sanders.

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

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