CFB analyst reads between the lines as to why Shedeur Sanders is not attending the 2025 NFL draft day

Shedeur Sanders is not among the 17 players who have been confirmed for attendance at the 2025 NFL draft day. The Colorado quarterback has been projected as a first-round pick on many mock drafts, but he won't be in Green Bay with his family later this month for the event.

Projected first-overall pick Cam Ward is expected to be present in the green room for the 2025 NFL draft event. The Miami quarterback will be joined by top prospects like Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, Ashton Jeanty, Matthew Golden, Tyler Booker, Will Johnson and a host of others.

The absence of Sanders from the green room has resulted in a lot of talk in the landscape. In a recent installment of “The Right Time with Bomani Jones” podcast, Bomani Jones claims the Colorado QB is likely not attending the event due to a strong possibility of slipping down the draft.

“If the Saints do not take Shedeur Sanders, oh buddy, what a night of TV,” Jones said. “I will just throw it out there. Jalen Milroe was on the list of guys to attend the draft, Shedeur Sanders is not, which implies to me that the Sanders camp doesn't really know how this is going to go.”

Sanders’ draft stock has taken a massive hit in the last few months due to perception and analytical reasons. He was projected to land with either the New York Giants or the Las Vegas Raiders earlier. However, both franchises have traded for a quarterback, leading him to likely drop down the draft.

Bomani Jackson claims early mock drafts that elevated Shedeur Sanders are inconsequential

Shedeur Sanders has been projected as a top pick in the 2025 NFL draft since the conclusion of the previous draft, following his first year at Colorado. However, Bomani Jones feels that the early mock drafts are often a reflection of reality regarding a player’s draft stock.

“As soon as the 2025 draft is over, there will be mock drafts posted for 2026," Jones said. "What more people need to understand, they need to put it on top of those, ‘for entertainment purposes only.’ In those early mock drafts (in 2024), Shedeur Sanders is so famous at that point, he's gonna be in all of them. These things don't matter!”

Despite his confirmed absence from the green room, Sanders is still expected to be drafted late in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. However, there's a strong belief that he could drop down to a late Day 1 pick, contrary to the early projection in December and January.