FANTASY FOOTBALL NEWS

Will Shadeur Sanders Fall Out Of The Top 10?

By Jared Smola | Updated on Tue, Apr 15 2025 1:01 PM UTC

Once considered the potential No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, QB Shadeur Sanders might need to wait a lot longer to hear his name called. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer writes that, "it feels like it’d be surprising" if Sanders went in the top 10. It's possible that he falls all the way to the Steelers at pick 21 -- or goes even later.

What They're Saying

Breer on Sanders: "What I keep hearing — and this has nothing to do with anyone having some personal issue with Sanders, or looking for him to fall in the draft so they can draft him — is that he isn’t a great athlete on tape, doesn’t have exceptional arm talent, and too often does things that simply won’t translate to the NFL game. ... I’ve had more than one person say to me that if Sanders goes in the first round, it’ll be because an owner got involved."

Dynasty Impact

Projected draft capital had been a big factor in Sanders' perceived dynasty value. No. 1 overall — or even top-five — picks generally get long leashes in the NFL. That's not the case for QBs that fall into the back half of Round 1.

Sanders' mediocre arm strength and mobility already made him an unexciting dynasty prospect. He'll be even less appealing in rookie drafts if he falls outside the top 10 later this month.

Jared Smola, Lead Analyst

Jared has been with Draft Sharks since 2007. He’s now Lead Analyst, heading up the preseason and weekly projections that fuel your Draft War Room and My Team tools. He currently ranks sixth among 158 analysts in draft rankings accuracy.