"I'm just not seeing that": Mike Garofolo shrugs off recent Shedeur Sanders rumors as 2025 NFL draft nears

There have been rumors about Coach Prime's son, Shedeur Sanders, slipping out of the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. Even though he is a hot prospect, few experts claim that his chances are volatile and that teams could pass on him without exhausting their first-round picks.

NFL insider Mike Garofolo contradicted these theories and claimed there is no way the Colorado passer gets overlooked. He was talking to Tom Pelissero and Judy Battista about the current QB situation at the Raiders, where new head coach Pete Carroll seems to have made his move.

The Raiders signed veteran star Geno Smith and agreed to a two-year, $75 million deal that keeps him with the franchise for three more seasons.

This announcement caught the national headlines quickly since the Raiders happened to be one of the teams that reportedly needed a passer. However, when it comes to longevity and the future of the QB room, things are still uncertain.

On Monday's edition of NFL Network, Garofolo said,

“I was just going through old emails the other day. It was like, from 2013 or something like that. It was like the Geno Smith transcript with the Giants. I'm like, Man, this guy's been around a long time, right? It's just you don't look at him if you're trying to reset things with the Raiders and say, 'Oh, this is our quarterback of the future."

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“But Pete Carroll is at the point of his career, and certainly Geno Smith is as well. So, at some point, the Raiders and new GM John Spytek are gonna have to find that franchise quarterback of the future. Is it Shedeur Sanders? We shall see. I do feel like there are other needs up top for the Raiders that I don't know if I see it at that point."

Garofolo added:

"So the question is, if that's the case, and the Giants don't take them at three, how long is this slide, right? Now we're looking at the Saints at nine, who suddenly have a need for a quarterback. Reality will finally set in next week, and we'll see where he's gonna land, but this notion of like he's gonna slip out of the first round. I'm just not seeing that.”

Raiders might have to trade up for Shedeur Sanders

Pete Carroll and Co. hold the No. 6 pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. It is highly unlikely that the Colorado quarterback will slide down the top three teams since all of them need a quarterback.

The Cleveland Browns are clearly in contention and thus, if the Raiders are serious about adding depth to their QB room, they might have to trade up at No. 2 or No. 3

Although it doesn't look like a big jump, the current scenario demands it. Sanders comes with the experience of building a program, which will prove vital for the franchise. In about three years from now, the team will have to undergo a major revamp if Carroll and Smith stick with them. Sanders could be a great alternative.