Shedeur Sanders will have to wait at least another day to hear his name called in the NFL Draft.
The Colorado quarterback—and son of head coach and Hall of Famer Deion Sanders—was left on the board after a first round full of twists on Thursday night. Despite being a focal point of Colorado's turnaround in 2023, leading the Buffaloes to their first bowl appearance in nearly a decade alongside Travis Hunter, Sanders slid out of Round 1.
Several quarterback-hungry franchises had been linked to him, including the Giants, Browns, and Saints—all holding top-10 selections—but each opted to go in different directions. Later in the night, potential landing spots like the Dolphins (No. 13) and Steelers (No. 21) also passed. The Giants even traded up to No. 25, only to pick Ole Miss signal-caller Jaxson Dart over Sanders.
Now destined for Day 2, Sanders will miss out on the benefits of a first-round deal—most notably the fifth-year team option. There's also a financial hit: the final pick of Round 1 typically earns a five-year deal worth around $14.6 million, while the top pick of the second round lands a four-year pact closer to $11.8 million. As his draft position continues to slip, so too does the value of his rookie contract.