There was no anonymity about Chedur Sanders’ fall, who was completely eliminated from the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Perhaps the most polarized college quarterback since Johnny Manziel in 2014, we watched the rest of the NFL world together on Thursday night as all his suitors died.
And the Giants – the team he spent the most time with and whom he liked most – passed for the second time with the additional insult of trading with quarterback Jackson Dart instead.
“I’m built for what I bring today,” Sanders wrote on Twitter earlier in the day.
Well, he was certainly tested at a Texas draft party by the pain that unfolded while standing next to his father’s Hall of Fame and his high school coach, Deion Sanders.
According to a video posted on social media, Sanders certainly didn’t expect this,” Sanders told his family and friends after he was not selected. “But with God, anything is possible. Everything is possible. Everything is possible. I don’t think this happened for no reason. Of course, this is the fuel for fire. We all know that this shouldn’t happen.”
Sanders’ strengths (toughness, accuracy, history that turns the loss of programs in Jackson and Colorado) and field weaknesses (average athleticism and strength in arm) are only half of the story.
According to draft analyst Todd McShay, Sanders’ rude nature has rubbed several NFL officials the wrong way during the pre-draft process.
Some teams reported in some interviews that they suspected Sanders was trying to direct their destination by not giving him all.
Once upon a time, Deion even said there were certain organizations that didn’t allow his son to play.
An anonymous quote criticizing Sanders criticizes what many prospects have to deal with each year. This has become a hot button issue for media fairness, as team personnel often cannot share honest reviews (good or bad) without fear of backlash from the organization.
There was a team where Sanders came in first place in his early conversation last fall. However, last week it became clear that falling into the second round was a realistic worst-case scenario.
“It’s not surprising at all,” one NFL executive told the post after the first round was over. “I think the same sentiment was shared by many teams.”
The wait continued on the third pick as the Giants handed over Sanders to draft Abdul Carter, considered the best player in the draft class.
The Raiders were partially owned and run by the greatest Tom Brady of all time, one of Sanders’ biggest mentors, but they ran Ashton Jeanti on No. 6 and the Saints had offensive tackle Kelvin Banks on No. 9.
But the first real shock came when the Steelers were still waiting to see if free agent Aaron Rodgers would play this season or retire before his 42nd birthday.
The Steelers don’t have a second pick (thanks to DK Metcalf Trade) to deal with the quarterback, with Journeyman Mason Rudolph as a starter.
The Chargers and Packers ran down the clock at Nos. 22 and 23 respectively, defending trade calls from the Giants and potentially others.
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It was for dirt when the Giants moved trade with the Texans from 34 to 25. Dirt moved ahead of Sanders on the Giants’ draft committee after all his private workouts were completed.
If there’s comfort to Sanders, it’s that the Browns (without future quarterbacks) hold two of the first four picks in the second round.
Their in-house quarterback options are Kenny Pickett and Joe Flaco, but Desshaun Watson has been injured and Watson may have played the Browns’ final snap either way.
Raiders (No. 37), Saints (No. 40), and Jets (No. 42) may be other options.
“We’re going for bigger and better things,” Sanders said. “[Friday] It’s that day. Regardless, we will be happy. ”
