Shedeur Sanders, the former Colorado quarterback widely projected as one of the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft, has fallen from first-round expectations to being available entering the fourth round. The New Orleans Saints selected Louisville’s Tyler Shough on Friday night, followed by the Seattle Seahawks selecting Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and the Cleveland Browns selecting Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel.
Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton, who knows Sanders since he was in junior high school, warned teams that passing him over would be a mistake. “He’ll use this as motivation to succeed in the league,” Payton said. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones praised Sanders’ character and competitiveness, saying he has great sportsmanship.
Sanders’ fall raises questions about whether his celebrity and confidence are off-putting to some teams. His predraft expectations were high, comparable to those of former Kentucky standout Will Levis, who was selected by the Tennessee Titans at 33rd overall last year. However, Levis’ wait for a draft pick was not similar to Sanders’.
The Saints passing on Sanders four times, including twice in four picks in the second round, and the Steelers following suit, suggest that teams may be hesitant to select him due to concerns about his game. Sanders has had little to say since Friday night, but expressed gratitude on social media.
With the final four rounds of the draft beginning at noon ET, it’s unclear what will happen with Sanders. Some speculate that he might end up in a suboptimal situation, which could impact his playing time immediately.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/44860385/shedeur-sanders-remains-undrafted-round-3-nfl-draft