Shedeur Sanders, The Most Polarizing Player In The NFL Draft, Should Go In The First Round

You surely know by now that Shedeur Sanders is the most polarizing player in the 2025 NFL draft that kicks off in a couple of hours.

He is, on the one hand, a player who helped raise two college programs – Jackson State and then Colorado – out of the sewer of failure when he arrived on campus and helped make them winners. 

He led the FBS in completion percentage last season and scouts say his accuracy is elite – which is kind of important because he's a quarterback.

And because he's a quarterback with a super power, the natural expectation is for him to be picked high in the draft, certainly in the first round by one of the numerous quarterback-needy teams.

Except, well, polarizing.

Entitled, scouts say.

Not sufficiently invested, others say.

Anonymous Coach Quote Triggering

And from the annual pre-draft anonymous quote assassin comes the "worst formal interview" quote collected by NFL Network employee Tom Pelissero and then roasted by NFL Network employee Kyle Brandt.

The same network that relies on anonymous information ripping anonymous information.

So, yes, polarizing.

And allow this non-NFL Network employee to bring peace to the landscape of the pre-draft drama:

Shedeur Sanders should be drafted in the first round. 

He will probably be drafted in the first round.

His tape suggests as much.

Logic says as much.

History says as much.

Johnny Manziel brutally flamed and dragged Brian Hoyer during his interview with Shannon Sharpe. Watch a video of his comments. (Credit: Getty Images)

History Suggests Sanders Is First-Rounder

And let me begin there – with a history lesson.

Since 2010, the NFL draft's first round has included the selection of the following quarterback prospects:

Tim Tebow.

Jake Locker.

Blaine Gabbert.

Johnny Manziel, which apparently came between swigs of liquor or snorts of coke.

Paxton Lynch.

Trey Lance.

Mac Jones.

All those guys were first-round selections. None of them were as good a QB prospect as Shedeur Sanders. 

Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders chould be the second quarterback taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. (Photo Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

Worse QBs Have Gotten Better Reviews

Most got better reviews from the media than Sanders has in recent months. Certainly, none were dissected as closely as Sanders has been.

And, I get it, because Sanders is clearly an acquired taste. He is his own man, and he has opinions – some fed to him by his father, Deion Sanders, but that's another matter.

The problem comes in that to succeed as an NFL quarterback, the prospect has to land with a team that loves him stem-to-stern rather than one trying to learn to like him.

You can learn to like a sixth-round linebacker amid staff disagreements. 

A first-round quarterback needs to have the unambiguous endorsement of practically everyone near the top of the organization.

Dec 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Mike Tomlin Respects Sanders

We know (or think we do) that there aren't any teams at the top of the draft who feel that way about Sanders. 

We think some teams later on feel that way, perhaps even some teams willing to trade up later in the first round with Sanders in mind. 

But we're quite certain, amid that din of differing opinions, about where Mike Tomlin stands.

"I think the things that stood out were evident in his video," Tomlin said this week even as the team seemed to confirm their deadline for signing Aaron Rodgers is the start of training camp. "There’s a toughness there that doesn’t get talked about enough. There’s a competitive spirit there that doesn’t get talked about enough. I know he’s very talented and he’s made a lot of plays for his university and his team. But the intangible qualities displayed on tape were impressive to me."

Sander Ready For Whatever

The Steelers have the No. 21 overall selection in the draft. And, yes, they would like to trade down and land an extra second round pick which they currently lack.

But they like Shedeur Sanders. And they need a quarterback or two. So they may very well pick Sanders.

It makes too much sense.

And Sanders feels he's ready for what is about to happen, come what may.