The 2025 NFL Draft will take place from April 24 through April 26. Unsurprisingly, mock drafts have been created, recreated, and revised again in the buildup to the event. While some players feel like locks — Miami quarterback Cam Ward tops most mock drafts — others have been harder to project.
One player who fits into that latter category is Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Sanders has appeared all over draft boards, going as high as No. 2 overall to the Cleveland Browns or dropping all the way to No. 21 to the Pittsburgh Steelers — sometimes even further.
With such an unclear draft projection, here’s a look at the most realistic possibilities for where Sanders might land.
Who Will Draft Shedeur Sanders?
Which team will make the call to Sanders on draft night? These are the most likely landing spots for the 23-year-old quarterback.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns hold the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 draft. With Deshaun Watson’s injury status still looming large, it’s led to speculation that Cleveland could take a quarterback, with Sanders being mentioned as a possible fit.
Sanders could be a spark for a Browns team that finished with just three wins and is still looking for long-term stability at the position. His Colorado teammate Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman winner, is also expected to go in the top 10 (with Cleveland as a possible destination), adding another layer of unpredictability to where Sanders will land.
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are considered strong contenders to draft Sanders and, as of now, are the betting favorite to select him with the No. 9 overall pick.
New Orleans could be a strong fit for Sanders, and his father, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, hinted at that recently. He joked about liking the black and gold of his Colorado hoodie — colors that just happen to match the Saints’ uniforms.
Current starter Derek Carr is still under contract, but with him now 34 years old and on a $150 million deal, the team could be ready to plan for the future by drafting Sanders.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers are a dark-horse destination for Sanders, mainly because they hold the No. 21 pick — a bit low for a quarterback many consider to be the second-best in the class. But if Sanders slides, Pittsburgh could be in position to take him.
Free agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been linked to the Steelers, but no deal has been made as of yet. That leaves the door open for Pittsburgh to draft Sanders if Rodgers doesn’t sign.
Sanders is expected to meet with Pittsburgh on Thursday, April 10. Nevertheless, he might have the widest range of any player in the draft. With so much uncertainty around where he’ll go, he’ll be one of the biggest storylines when the NFL Draft gets underway.