NFL fans divided as Shedeur Sanders gets compared to Andy Dalton - "This is just hate," "He worse than Dalton"

Modified Apr 01, 2025 01:31 GMT

Shedeur Sanders draws comparisons to Andy Dalton

After taking a hit following the combine, Shedeur Sanders has apparently regained much of his stock in the lead-up to the draft, as recent mock drafts have him going second to the Cleveland Browns. However, a new take about him has proven more divisive among fans.

On Monday's episode of NFL Live, former NFL quarterback Tim Hasselbeck compared the Colorado Buffaloes prospect to the Carolina Panthers' Andy Dalton, citing Sanders' lack of elite physical talents.

However, Hasselbeck believes that comps to Dalton and Kirk Cousins are a "compliment" as those quarterbacks have gone on to have somewhat successful NFL careers.

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And it led to a bevy of reactions, both positive and negative, from fans:

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A couple of fans were in agreement with Hasselbeck's take, with one fan invoking the name of another much-hyped prospect drafted by the Browns but didn't quite pan out in the NFL:

"Yeah fair. I just don’t see "franchise QB"... but a Johnny Manziel-type flameout," one predicted.

"Sounds about right, he'll be a backup in a few years," one guaranteed.

Meanwhile, other fans were not too thrilled with Hasselbeck's Dalton comp.

"The Shedeur Sanders Disrespect (salt shaker emoji)," another raged.

"That's certainly a comparison," another marveled.

Mel Kiper Jr.: Shedeur Sanders falling into 20s would be "a shocker"

Of course, the latest developments do not preclude a potential dramatic fall fro Shedeur Sanders. Speaking on First Draft, analyst Mel Kiper Jr. likened it to when Aaron Rodgers was expeced to be the no. 1 overall pick in 2025 but instead fell to no. 24 because of his history with Jeff Tedford, who had coached a group of draft busts that included Trent Dilfer and David Carr (from 13:05):

"That would be a shocker to me, but shockers happen, and you can't predict shockers. I have said, six of the eight quarterbacks that dropped have turned out to be really good. ... If you do slide, the sliders have done really good in the NFL, so it's not a bad thing."

Kiper also maintained his belief that the New York Giants would draft Sanders third overall despite already having Jameis Winston, Russell Wilson, and Tommy DeVito on their roster.

About the author

Andre Castillo is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Master’s degree in Journalism. He has over seven years of working experience and has also covered MMA with FanSided, wrestling with The Sportster, and automobiles with Hot Cars.

Andre follows the New York Jets and the Washington Commanders, mostly because he likes their colors. His favorite position is tight end, and players like Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce have always drawn Andre's attention when watching a game. Bill Belichick is his favorite coach, and his all-time favorite Super Bowl is the XLII edition, when the underdog New York Giants upset the then-undefeated New England Patriots.

If he can change one moment in NFL history, it will be from the NFC Championship Game in January 2019. In that game, a highly controversial no-call cost the Saints what would have been Drew Brees' second Super Bowl visit, where he would have faced Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Andre is always on the lookout for fresh perspectives in a story and ensures complete factual accuracy by double-checking all information before using it in his articles. He has an innate understanding of how to present information in an efficient and compelling way.

Outside the writing realm, Andre is a professional licensed teacher. His hobbies include watching UFC, MotoGP, playing the piano, and travelling.

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