Approaching the 2025 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.
Colorado quarterback Sheduer Sanders’ college career has been a strange mix of overrated (the Colorado media machine and name recognition) to over-hated (the Colorado media machine and name recognition) up to this point. The draft process has been no different, with Sanders’ stock landing everywhere from a top-five pick to a potential Day 2 selection; suddenly, the Steelers at No. 21 are a viable landing spot. Should Pittsburgh be interested in the polarizing Colorado passer?
Position: Quarterback
Class: Senior
Size: 6’1 1/2”, 212 pounds
Age: 23
Projected draft round: 1
Stats via Sports Reference
It’s finally my turn to wade into the Shedeur Sanders discourse. He’s a confusing evaluation, and the football-famous last name— he’s Hall of Famer Deion Sanders’ son — doesn’t make it any easier.
For one, it might be a bit of a surprise that Sanders, the son of one of the best pure athletes in NFL history, isn’t all that mobile and is at his best as a more traditional pocket passer.
Sanders completed a whopping 74% of his passes in 2024, and while a good bit of Colorado’s passing offense was short throws and screens, there’s no denying his efficiency. The ball doesn’t hit the ground much. Sanders had his misses, but he’s at his best dissecting defenses over the middle in the short to intermediate passing game. When he has some time to throw, he’s incredibly accurate and generates great velocity on his passes.
Another key bit of context: The Colorado offensive line was a hilariously rough watch in 2024. In many cases, that made Sanders tough to evaluate as he was constantly running for his life. Put him on a team with just an OK offensive line in the NFL, and it’ll be an improvement.
That constant pressure led to a bad drifting habit in Sanders’ game, though. He’s constantly backpedaling in his drop, even if he doesn’t need to. That leads to a number of issues. For one, it makes his offensive tackles’ jobs even harder, and it also affected his throwing power, hampered timing in the quick game, and limited his ability to read the field.
As you can see in the clips below, Sanders’ high sack numbers at Colorado are a mix of bad O-line play and his own underwhelming pocket awareness.
Sometimes, Sanders would big-play hunt instead of taking what was readily available or simply throwing the ball away to live another play.
On intermediate throws, Sanders displays good touch as well as the ability to place the ball to protect his receivers.
Also, I liked his ability to protect receivers with ball placement, and there's some solid touch overall on intermediate passes pic.twitter.com/nrqiDIwSG9
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 16, 2025
However (and I’ll add that I don’t have all-22, which makes this evaluation a bit more difficult), Sanders didn't show much anticipation in the games I watched. He’s a see-it, throw-it passer even if his decision-making is generally above-average. He did miss a decent number of open receivers in 2024. But again, I think that’ll get cleaned up if he can improve his pocket presence.
That isn’t to say Sanders collapses under pressure. He constantly delivered while taking hits, and while he could improve navigating blitzes, his willingness to hold onto the ball and try to make plays is admirable.
However, Sanders simply doesn’t have the arm talent to consistently succeed making throws on the run or from difficult arm angles. And when he can’t step into throws, his velocity falters. Similarly, he doesn’t have the quick twitch to always evade defenders when escaping the pocket.
Sanders tries to make plays out of structure but doesn't really have the tools to do so. His accuracy and velocity suffer without a strong base, and he doesn't have great escapability from the pocket pic.twitter.com/arbt7hPCH0
— Ryland Bickley (@_Ryland_B) April 16, 2025
Sanders’ physical limitations further show up in the deep passing game. His 2024 is littered with underthrown deep balls. Some are victims of moving backwards, but some he stepped into and still couldn't get enough distance.
To be fair, some of the throws in the clips below are incredibly challenging in terms of air yards. But Sanders constantly had plays like that — his arm strength is a concern, but he also plays like he doesn’t yet realize those limitations.
As a result, Sanders often ended up playing “hero ball” in 2024 when he didn’t have the skill set to do so. But credit where it’s due: Against Baylor, Sanders delivered some highlight-worthy plays, including a well-placed, sliding-outside-the-pocket Hail Mary to send the game into overtime (a matchup the Buffaloes eventually won).
Let’s not ring too many alarm bells here — Sanders has some well-thrown deep balls on tape. His arm strength isn’t optimal, but in the right offense it won’t be a major NFL limitation.
He’s also serviceable as a runner. He won’t ever stand out as a scrambler, but he’s far from a statue and can gain yardage where there’s a lane.
Sanders is full of personality, and paired with some of the quirks of the Colorado football program, it might not sit well with everyone. During his time as a Buffalo, he pushed a referee, appeared to poke a defender in the eye, and sent the infamous “Bro had to be very mid at best” Tweet about a former teammate. His dad has also coached him since high school. There are prospects in this class with far, far worse off-field questions, but there’s a reason to bring in Sanders for an interview.
However, overall, Sanders seems to be a fiery competitor. His toughness in the pocket confirms that. Plus, considering he’s been playing football as THE Deion Sanders’ kid his entire life, he’s had to endure a uniquely bright spotlight throughout his career — something that especially stood out during his heavily-discussed time at Colorado. There are questions as to how his game translates to the NFL level, but I’m confident he can handle the pressure.
Still, there’s a frustrating lack of high-level traits in his game. Realistically speaking, his ceiling is that of an efficient game manager. That’s not enough to deter teams from taking a chance on Sanders as a future starter, but it makes him firmly a Day 2 talent in my book, even if a quarterback-needy general manager is likely to snag him in the first round.
Shedeur Sanders strengths
Above-average accuracy
Good ball placement and velocity on short to intermediate throws
Multi-year starter with impressive production and limited turnovers
Functional mobility
Succeeded despite horrible pass protection; good toughness
Helped elevate a struggling Colorado football program
Weaknesses
Not a high-level arm talent; needs strong base to drive throws and questionable arm strength on deep passes
Lacks burst as a runner; won’t be escaping many pass-rushers in the NFL
Major drifting problem in the pocket; spotty pocket awareness
Was bailed out at times by strong receiving core (WR1 was best player in the draft Travis Hunter)
Needs to play with better rhythm in the short passing game
Hasn’t yet learned to play within his limitations
Less than ideal size (under 6’2)
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com
Any perceptions that Sanders is a product of Heisman Trophy-winner Travis Hunter’s greatness are slowly dispelled once you hit the tape. He’s seen mixed results under an intensely bright spotlight, but there are no signs his confidence has ever wavered. Sanders possesses a baseline of poise, savvy and accuracy, traits that are integral in becoming an NFL starter. He’s slow-twitch with standard arm talent and a longer release, but he worked around those limitations with anticipation and accuracy. He plays with decent command from the pocket and finds his rhythm when working on-time and on-platform; that said, he will pass on profits and look for the big play too often. Average velocity and slower rip times mean tighter windows against faster athletes, so throwing off-platform or trying to do more than his arm talent allows is ill-advised. He’s tough and willing to take the hit to complete the throw once he’s locked into his target. Sanders is pocket mobile and finds clean alternate launch points, but he often creates pressure and sacks with undisciplined pocket drops. The tape says he has the necessary qualities to become a solid game manager if he can operate with better discipline and play to his strengths.
Nick Akridge of PFF
Sanders flashed NFL ability at Colorado, and it’s that much more impressive when considering the circumstances. He elevated the program to new heights. However, his lack of consistent protection makes him difficult to evaluate. When he can stay on time, he’s an efficient quarterback who is willing to take hits in the pocket to deliver a pass. But he far too often takes himself out of rhythm because of his lack of belief in his protection. That play style will make it hard to succeed in the NFL. Still, if he can play on time more often, his accuracy and turnover avoidance can lead to a long, successful career in the NFL.
Kyle Crabbs The 33rd Team
Shedeur Sanders projects best into a timing-based offense that optimizes his field vision as a passer and his ability to deliver accurate passes on time. When in rhythm, Sanders makes it look easy on the gridiron and can pick apart defenses methodically. An offensive system that leans into that ability while encouraging him to mitigate some of his outside-of-structure moments stands the best chance to produce a quality starting quarterback. This is an NFL starter, likely on Day 1.
As I touched on in Read & React earlier this week, Sanders’ fit with the Steelers isn’t impossible, but it’s far from ideal. Sanders’ best shot to succeed in the NFL is in an efficient, timing-based short passing offense — but the Arthur Smith Steelers want to run the ball and capitalize on downfield opportunities. Two boundary deep threats in George Pickens and D.K. Metcalf drive that point home.
Sanders might be the most pro-ready quarterback in this year’s class, and that shouldn't go unnoticed. The Steelers have done their homework on him with a top-30 visit, and that’s a good thing. However, I have a really hard time seeing him as a smart pick in the first round for Pittsburgh. The fit isn’t there, and neither is the upside.
TL;DR: Sanders is a capable pocket passer who dissected defenses on crossing routes in 2024 despite O-line play that made every dropback look like flying through a Star Wars asteroid field. However, he’s a limited athlete with average-at-best arm strength. He’ll likely need a very strong roster around him to become a true franchise quarterback at the next level.
What are your thoughts on Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!
