Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

Giants GM Reacts to Shedeur's No-Throw at Combine

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Anthony Licciardi | Last updated Feb 25, 2025 8:20 PM ET

The NFL Draft might be different each year, but the cycle is the same. With too much time on its collective hands, the football world finds things to talk about, from Kenny Pickett’s hand size to overrated pro day throws and red flags attached to character concerns nobody can seem to validate.

With the NFL Scouting Combine in full swing, the discourse has run rampant, this time about the class’ quarterbacks, specifically, Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.

Sanders opted not to throw in Indianapolis, instead waiting for his Pro Day later in the spring. From dubbing him scared to compete to extrapolating his choice to describe his football character, it’s safe to say social media didn’t take the news well.

But the teams tasked with taking the closest look at Sanders, like the New York Giants, don’t seem to care.

On Tuesday, Giants general manager Joe Schoen reacted to Sanders’ Combine decision.

“I’m OK with that. … To me, you’ve never thrown to these receivers before,” Schoen said. “... If they throw, that’s great. I’m never gonna downgrade them for not throwing. If they don’t have a great throwing session, I’m not gonna downgrade them for that either because they’ve never thrown to these guys. It’s timing, it’s anticipation, it’s the type of routes these guys run, their ability to certain routes.

“I think it’s important as a quarterback when you’re throwing to these guys, so if a guy decides he doesn’t want to throw [at the NFL Combine] and wants to throw at his Pro Day, I’m OK with that.”

Nobody should be surprised by Sanders’ decision; he’s under no obligation to do anything that might hurt his stock. If you had millions of dollars on the line, would you? Throwing to receivers that might not run routes as well as he’d hope or track the ball as well as his Colorado teammates could shine Sanders in a bad light. With a top-10 selection feeling almost inevitable, he has no reason to risk that.

It’s not like he won’t attempt to put on a show at his Pro Day, either. He’ll just be doing it with his staff, his teammates, and conditions that should be far closer to ideal.

Skeptics may point to Sanders’ mediocre arm strength as a reason for him to skip the workouts. With other passers posting bigger arms, some will suggest Sanders doesn’t want to look like the least-talented passer in Indianapolis. Even so, it’s not like New York would learn much. The Giants know his arm strength doesn’t define his game. They are under no illusion about what Sanders is, especially not in a way that would be exposed by the bright lights of Lucas Oil Stadium.

New York could very well pass on Sanders, but rest assured, his only way to move up or down in Indianapolis will be through the medicals and interviews everyone else is subject to.

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

More must-reads: