The New York Giants surprised many when they traded back into the first round to select quarterback Jaxson Dart over Shedeur Sanders. However, according to ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler, the Colorado quarterback knew before the draft that the Giants wouldn’t be taking him.
Fowler reports that Sanders told his inner circle he “didn’t hit it off” with Giants coaches.
“While the Giants worked out Shedeur Sanders the week before the draft, Sanders sensed much earlier that New York probably wasn’t in the cards for him,” writes Fowler. “Sanders openly acknowledged during the predraft process that he didn’t hit it off with Giants coaches, per a source.”
Despite being considered by many analysts as the second-best quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft, teams didn’t view Sanders as an elite prospect.
Sanders’ draft slide gained national attention as he was bypassed the first two days. He wasn’t selected until the fifth round on Day 3 when the Cleveland Browns traded up for pick No. 144. This move raised questions since the Browns had already taken Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel in the third round.
Even with Sanders’ unexpected fall, he could still see action in 2025. The Browns’ quarterback room isn’t the strongest, and if Sanders impresses during training camp, he might earn playing time.
Currently, Cleveland’s quarterbacks include Sanders, Gabriel, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Deshaun Watson, who is expected to miss most or all of 2025 after re-rupturing his right Achilles tendon in the offseason.
