Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders Not Selected in First Round of NFL Draft
Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders was not selected in the opening round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night.
At 23 years old, Sanders entered the draft as one of the most talked-about and debated prospects. While many mock drafts projected him as a possible first-round pick—some linking him to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21—predictions varied widely, with some analysts ranking him as high as third overall, and others leaving him out of the first round entirely.
Ultimately, the Steelers passed on Sanders, opting instead for Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon with their pick.
Outside of No. 1 overall selection Cam Ward, only one other quarterback was drafted in the first round—Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, who was taken by the New York Giants after they traded up to the 25th pick.
The son of NFL Hall of Famer and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur earned Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors in his senior season. He completed 74.0% of his passes for 3,230 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Sanders started his college career at Jackson State in 2021 under his father’s leadership, then transferred to Colorado after two seasons.
When Sanders joined the Buffaloes, the team was coming off a one-win season. During his second year with the program, Colorado surged to nine wins—their best record since 2016.
Despite his on-field production, Sanders’ draft stock was clouded by criticism from some NFL scouts and coaches. Concerns were raised not only about his physical tools—such as his arm strength and tendency to hold the ball too long—but also about his demeanor.
In a report by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, one anonymous quarterbacks coach described Sanders as “brash” and “arrogant,” while an assistant coach called him “entitled,” citing a poor formal interview.
“He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates… but the biggest thing is, he’s not that good,” the assistant said.
Indeed, Sanders was sacked 94 times over his two seasons at Colorado, prompting further questions about his pocket awareness and decision-making. Still, he was praised for his precision, having completed over 70% of his passes during his tenure with the Buffaloes.
In response to the criticism, Sanders remained unfazed. Speaking to NBC News earlier this month, he said: “I truly don’t have any space for negativity, so it doesn’t play a factor in my life at all. I understand the easiest thing in the world to do is to be negative instead of positive. I truly don’t care what people have to say.”
He added: “I’m happy everything is happening this way. I like a lot of chaos, because it shows you who’s really there. I wouldn’t change a thing, because this adds to the story.”
