There is a Case For Shedeur Sanders as QB1

The Las Vegas Raiders are likely still interested in Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. One analyst made a case for him to be the first quarterback off the board. How valid is it?

Dec 21, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders before the game against the Bellarmine Knights at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders took the pressure off themselves when they traded for Geno Smith, who will be their starter for the 2025 season barring injury.

The connections to Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, from mock drafts to social media clues to an alleged tie with minority owner Tom Brady, seem to remain among the loudest the Raiders have going for them heading into the draft.

The New York Giants are very real contenders as well.

If it's not Sanders, the Raiders are projected to select Boise State's Ashton Jeanty or Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan.

Some still think they will draft Sanders as the quarterback of the future and sit him behind Smith. That thinking is not invalid.

The red flags are abundant with Sanders, though, and that is why many around the league remain weary of him. His stock has steadily declined over the course of the draft cycle.

Pro Football Focus' John Kosko believes there is a case for Sanders to be the 2025 NFL Draft's QB1 over Miami's Cam Ward, however.

Kosko first described his process in coming to this possible conclusion:

"I blend data and film to evaluate players. At quarterback, data can provide valuable insight, but if a player lacks the arm strength needed for the NFL, the numbers may not matter. Likewise, a quarterback might check every box on film—big arm, ideal size, good mobility—but if his grading profile and data are poor, he may be overrated due to certain biases.

"Of course, there are outliers in both directions —  had an extremely poor data profile, while  graded well but lacked the physical tools to succeed at the NFL level. The key is recognizing these outliers rather than 'trying to find the next .'

Generally, successful NFL quarterbacks fit certain analytical criteria, and that’s what we aim to identify in this class."

With all of the tape and analytics, Kosko believed there was plenty there to like about Sanders as the No. 1 signal-caller.

"With no ground game to lean on, everything fell on Sanders," he wrote. "Either he delivered and kept Colorado in games, or they struggled to compete. No quarterback in this draft class faced more pressure, both from opposing defenses and the limitations of his own offense. Behind a subpar offensive line, Sanders was forced to navigate constant duress, making his production all the more impressive.

"I say all this to emphasize just how much Sanders had to overcome at Colorado. Without him, the Buffaloes would have been bottom-dwellers in the Big 12, nowhere near playoff contention. With him, they were in the conversation. ... what I’m emphasizing is that Sanders has walked through the fire. He’s endured the worst situations a quarterback can face—constant pressure, a nonexistent run game and an outmatched supporting cast—and he’s come out unshaken.

"Listen to him in interviews. He carries unwavering confidence in his abilities, and he backs it up on tape. Time and time again, he stands tall in the pocket despite chaos unfolding around him, delivering strikes while taking brutal hits. And he gets back up — every single time. Sanders also doesn’t fold in the biggest moments. He remains composed when the game is on the line, trusts his arm and makes plays. In the two-minute drill, Sanders holds a 92.3 career passing grade against Power Four competition—the highest of all time.

"... Considering the lack of talent he’s had around him the past two seasons, the fact that he led Colorado to playoff contention while putting up elite numbers is hard to ignore. Then, when you turn on the film and watch him stand in the pocket, take hit after hit and still deliver pinpoint throws, the appreciation for his game only grows."

Perhaps there is something special about Sanders, something to be said about poise, control, and the ability to rise to the occasion. The question is whether that is enough for the Raiders to pull the trigger, considering they already have a starter and plenty of needs to fill at No. 6.

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