NFL Draft 2025: Shedeur Sanders still available in fourth round as stunning fall rolls on

Shedeur Sanders' wait to join the NFL ranks has unexpectedly stretched well beyond what many had predicted. After three rounds and 102 names off the board, including five quarterbacks, Coach Prime's son is still searching for a landing spot.

Once projected as a surefire first-rounder, the Colorado signal-caller was left out in the cold again on Friday as the second and third rounds came and went without a mention of his name.

Here's some of the quick reaction from around the world, including one from none other than USA President Donald Trump:

It's a sharp fall for one of the most recognizable figures in college football — not only due to his own standout play, but also because of his father, Deion Sanders, the Hall of Fame defensive back and headline-grabbing head coach who turned heads at Jackson State before transforming Colorado into a national storyline.

Shedeur Sanders was a Heisman contender last season and helped reinvigorate the Buffaloes, but NFL scouts apparently weren't as sold on his pro potential as many mock drafts suggested. Unexpectedly, the likes of Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe, and Dillon Gabriel all heard their names called before him — a twist few draft experts foresaw.

At one point, Sanders was being touted by several draft pundits as a superior quarterback prospect to Cam Ward, who ended up going No. 1 overall to Tennessee. But as draft day neared, skepticism began to overshadow the early hype.

A major red flag for evaluators was the staggering number of sacks Sanders endured: 94 in his final two collegiate campaigns. Beyond that, scouts began voicing doubts about his arm strength and whether he could thrive outside the unique system and comfort zone provided by his father, Deion. His elevated public profile only complicated matters further; with so much attention surrounding him, some franchises might hesitate to draft him if they view him merely as a potential backup.

Now, wherever he does land, Sanders is likely to take a significant financial hit. A selection in the back half of the first round — say, to quarterback-hungry Pittsburgh at pick No. 21 — would’ve netted him around $18 million. But slipping into Day 3 territory means his rookie deal may come in closer to $5 million, underscoring just how costly his fall has become.