NFL Mock Draft: Analyst predicts Shedeur Sanders to sit behind Russell Wilson to avoid 'immediate pressure' of QB1 role

In his latest 2025 NFL mock draft, ESPN's Field Yates predicted that the New York Giants would still select a quarterback No. 3 overall despite adding veteran QBs Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this offseason.

In his mock draft released on Wednesday, Yates projected that the Giants would select Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders No. 3 overall.

As Yates noted:

"Despite the Giants' signings of Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, I just don't buy them passing on Sanders. ... This would be a move about the future and stability. ... With Wilson and Winston sharing the QB room with him, Sanders could learn and keep developing without the pressure of being immediately thrown into the QB1 role."

Since the Giants signed both Wilson and Winston via free agency, there has been a belief among some fans and analysts that those moves signaled that the New York franchise would not select a QB with their first-round pick and, instead, focus on other non-QB positions this year.

However, Yates' mock draft does highlight another potential interesting avenue for the Giants to pursue. Sanders had a great 2024 season with the Buffaloes and had 4,134 passing yards, 37 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions and four rushing touchdowns. He also had a completion percentage of 74.0%.

Will the Giants draft Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft?

The Giants have remained quiet on who they are attempting to select later this month. However, if Sanders is indeed picked by the Giants, there are unquestionably a lot of positives that could come from learning from and playing behind Wilson and Winston.

Wilson and Winston are veteran QBs who have had success in the league or were drafted within the top five picks of their respective draft class. As a result, both individuals would be able to share their knowledge and understanding of how to succeed in the league long-term, something that would help Sanders down the line in his career.

Even if he does not play in 2025 as the starting QB, a year to learn from Wilson and Winston could prove very helpful in the NFL development of Sanders.