Shedeur Sanders got a lot of buzz as a potential first-round prospect ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft but wasn’t among the first 32 players chosen in the annual event.
Now, the Colorado quarterback will set his sights on coming off the board early as Day 2 of the NFL draft begins Friday.
Sanders is widely expected to be among the first players chosen in the second round. The Cleveland Browns, who have been connected to quarterbacks during the 2025 NFL Draft process, own two of the first four selections in Round 2 while the Las Vegas Raiders will also be on the clock early.
Will that come to pass, or will Sanders’ NFL draft slide continue as he jockeys for positioning with other top-remaining quarterbacks like Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Louisville’s Tyler Shough? Here are the latest rumors about Sanders’ potential landing spots and when he might be chosen.
Shedeur Sanders draft rumors
Dillon Gabriel could go before Shedeur Sanders
NFL DRAFT HUB: Live NFL Draft news, live picks, grades, analysis and more.
- Date: April 25
- Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport
Rapoport already has reported that Jalen Milroe and Quinn Ewers could go ahead of Shedeur Sanders. Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel is another name to watch, according to the NFL Network analyst.
The logic? NFL teams may be more comfortable with Gabriel in a backup role than Sanders.
Steelers looking for QB to contribute in the future, not this year amid Aaron Rodgers rumors
- Date: April 25
- Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport
Could the Steelers‘ decision to pass on Shedeur Sanders be related to their pursuit of Aaron Rodgers? Rapoport relayed that Art Rooney II said the team is looking for a quarterback who can contribute not this year but next.
Is that an indication Rodgers might sign with the Steelers soon?
“He does want to come here, so I think we may get word on that,” Rooney said, per Rapoport.
Steelers pass on Shedeur Sanders at 83, take RB Kaleb Johnson
The Steelers were widely expected to be Sanders’ floor at 83. They opted not to take the top remaining quarterback, instead taking Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson with the selection. As a result, Sanders’ fall will continue.
More quarterbacks could go ahead of Shedeur Sanders
- Date: April 25
- Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport
Rapoport identified a handful of teams that have done “quarterback homework” ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft in the Raiders, Cowboys, Colts, Titans and Steelers. As such, Sanders seemingly has a lot more landing spots in Round 3, with Pittsburgh standing out as one.
That said, Rapoport also pointed out that teams are interested in other quarterbacks, including Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Texas’ Quinn Ewers, to name a couple.
“It is possible some of these guys could go before Shedeur in this coming round,” Rapoport said on NFL Network.
Sanders goes unselected in Round 2 of 2025 NFL Draft
Another 32 picks have passed without Sanders being selected. Will his slide end in Round 3? The Browns and Raiders own the 67th and 68th selections in the draft respectively and haven’t yet chosen a quarterback.
If neither Cleveland nor Las Vegas targets Sanders, the Steelers — who own the 83rd pick — could end the Colorado quarterback’s fall.
NFL DRAFT TRADE TRACKER: Keeping track of all the noteworthy moves
Saints draft Tyler Shough 40th overall with Sanders still on board
- Date: April 25
- Source: 2025 NFL Draft
Multiple reports from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah and ESPN’s Adam Schefter connected Shough to the Saints. New Orleans proved those rumors were not smoke by taking Shough with the 40th pick with Sanders still on the board.
Shough played seven college seasons and will now be tasked with potentially replacing Derek Carr. He will turn 26 in September, early on in his rookie season.
Saints ‘feel like more of a Tyler Shough team’
- Date: April 25
- Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport
Rapoport noted the Saints need a quarterback but intimated New Orleans may be more interested in drafting Shough than Sanders. He also mentioned Quinn Ewers as a possibility for the Saints.
Sanders ‘better possibility’ to be third-round pick if Raiders pass on him
- Date: April 25
- Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport
The Raiders own the 37th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and are considering drafting Sanders to develop behind Geno Smith, Rapoport reports. However, if Las Vegas doesn’t take him, that could cause the Colorado product to slip to the third round, as there aren’t a lot of other landing spots for Sanders.
Raiders, Steelers ‘most realistic’ landing spots for Shedeur Sanders
- Date: April 25
- Source: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport
Rapoport doesn’t seem to think the Browns are going to take Sanders. He highlighted the Raiders as the “closest” realistic landing spot for Sanders while noting the Colorado product could potentially fall to the Steelers in the third round if Las Vegas passes on him.
Tyler Shough could go ahead of Shedeur Sanders
- Date: April 25
- Source: ESPN’s Adam Schefter
Schefter said on ESPN’s NFL Live that he “won’t be surprised” if Shough goes ahead of Sanders during the second day of the NFL draft.
“I think there are not a lot of teams that love the idea of drafting Shedeur,” Schefter said. “I think now we’re at the point where unless he goes in the third round, No. 83 to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who had a discussion about him on the board at 21, I think we may get a team that we never connected to him.”
Shough, 25, played seven college seasons at Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville. He completed 62.7% of his passes for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions in his lone season with the Cardinals.
Browns could pass on QB with two second-round picks
- Date: April 25
- Source: NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe
Wolfe noted the Browns have “done a lot of homework” on Sanders, Shough and Milroe, who worked with Cleveland offensive coordinator Tommy Rees at Alabama ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. However, the Browns may not be looking to add a quarterback with their two early second-round picks (33rd and 36th overall).
“They have a lot of needs: running back, wide receiver, offensive tackle,” Wolfe outlined. “This is a team that if they do not take a quarterback early, don’t be surprised if they just try to add more good players.”
