Five NFL Draft Landing Spots for Shedeur Sanders After First Round Slide

The 2025 NFL Draft is underway in Green Bay, Wisconsin and as usual, there's no shortage of exciting storylines and narratives buzzing around which players will be selected.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft did not disappoint - we got a trade up by the Jaguars for the 2nd overall pick where they selected two-way star Travis Hunter from Colorado, and we saw the Giants select edge rusher Abdul Carter before they traded back into the first round late to select Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart.

However, sometimes the biggest storylines are the players not selected and Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders is the most notable, who was passed over completely in the first round after narratives began to build around the QB's pro fit in the weeks leading up to the NFL Draft.

But there are seven rounds to the Draft, not one, so all is not lost. Plenty of mid-late round QBs have panned out quite well in the NFL and brought their franchises success, so it's not doom and gloom time.

With that said, as everyone is wondering "who will draft Shedeur Sanders," let's look at five landing spots for the Colorado QB as we await Rounds 2 and 3 on Friday night.

Don't forget that some states allow you to bet on NFL Draft Prop Picks, and new users at bet365 sportsbook can score a $150 bonus off their first $5 bet, which can be placed on the NFL Draft or any notable event. Just use the bet365 bonus code "DIMERS" when you sign up to claim your bonus.

Top Five NFL Draft Landing Spots for Shedeur Sanders

We dabble and deal in data at Dimers, but we don't have an NFL Draft model so these are just based on our speculation, market odds, mock drafts and potential fits and should not be viewed as strong betting advice.

Odds are via DraftKings at time of publishing.

1. Cleveland Browns

The Browns are the sportsbook favorite to draft Shedeur Sanders and add his name to the infinite QB jersey.

They open the second round with pick No. 33 and then pick again at No. 36 so they're in the driver's seat and if any teams were banking on a Sanders slide to draft him on Day 2, they'll need the Browns to pass over him not just once, but twice.

The Browns perpetually remain one of the most QB-needy franchises and that's the case heading into the 2025 season, with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett the only active QBs on the roster with failed signing Deshaun Watson suffering another injury setback this offseason.

At -350, the books seem confident that Sanders will go to Cleveland, but we've seen plenty of surprises in the NFL Draft. If the Browns pass on Sanders, another QB needy team is not fair behind.

2. Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders are searching for their first franchise QB since moving to Vegas after Derek Carr went to the Saints.

After trading for QB Geno Smith from Seattle, the Raiders signed him to a two-year, $75M extension with $67M guaranteed.

But this is the NFL where nothing is truly guaranteed and while Smith has shown he can carry the water for a franchise and he's reunited with Pete Carroll, he's not shown that he can lead a team to the big dance and he'll be 37 when this deal ends.

Drafting Sanders (+350 to go to Las Vegas) would put the Raiders in position to develop the young QB for a couple seasons, or even less if Smith starts to falter. Las Vegas drafted stud RB Ashton Jeanty in the first round and could set themselves up nicely for the future with a pair of young cornerstone offensive players. Raiders minority owner Tom Brady mentored Sanders as well, a factor that can't be totally ignored.

3. New Orleans Saints

Speaking of Derek Carr, he's in New Orleans but he's dealing with mysterious shoulder injury with the team not expected to get clarity on his status before the end of this NFL Draft.

The Carr experiment is looking like a bust in New Orleans and even if he can deliver a few solid seasons, they'll need to be planning their next move sooner than later.

The likes of Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener and BenDiNucci aren't the answer there, so the Saints would be wise to start shoring up their backup/future QB.

Sanders could slot in well with the offensive pieces in New Orleans with WRs Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave alongside veteran stud RB Alvin Kamara.

New Orleans is third in the odds to draft Sanders, currently at +600 with the 8th pick in the second round.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

Many mock drafts had the Steelers selecting Shedeur at 21st overall but they opted for DT Derrick Hamon, putting them in the same spot QB-wise entering the second round.

They tried the Russell Wilson and Justin Fields experience and moved on just as quickly, with veteran backup Mason Rudolph back on the team and Skylar Thompson as QB2. Neither is the franchise QB they're looking for, something they've been trying to do since Ben Roethlisberger retired.

Pittsburgh acquired big WR DK Metcalf in the offseason to pair alongside George Pickens and Sanders' big arm could be a great fit for these two field stretchers.

But there's a catch - the Steelers don't pick in Round 2. They're off the clock until Pick no. 83 in the third round, which means every other team will have to pass on Sanders again for them to have their shot, which checks out against their +1200 odds.

5. Dallas Cowboys

Come on, it would be *the most* Jerry Jones thing ever to pass on the team's actual needs and make the pick that gets them the media buzz.

With Deion Sanders a Cowboys legend, it's not a reach to imagine the Cowboys brass would make the move, possibly in an attempt to coax Deion out of the college game and into the NFL as the Head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in the future.

They're +2200 to draft Sanders, but if the Browns pass on him, expect that to drop sharply. They pick 12th (No. 44 overall) in the second round, so they don't need to wait too long for their chance. 

From a logistical perspective, Dak Prescott is entering his final run with the Cowboys who have a potential out before the 2028 season, so while it would not be the smart pick, there's a reality in which Sanders sits for a couple years before transitioning into the Cowboys starter.

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