Once considered a contender to be the No. 1 overall pick, the Colorado quarterback was not selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Sanders — the son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders — was passed on by quarterback-needy teams including the Giants, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers.

Two general managers and one head coach were surprised Shedeur Sanders wasn’t selected Thursday night because their teams had first-round grades on him, they told The Associated Press. Another GM told the AP he gave Sanders a second-round grade.

Speaking Friday on NFL Live, ESPN's Adam Schefter said he "won't be surprised" if Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough is taken ahead of Sanders on Day 2 of the NFL draft.