"Shedeur Sanders is not the top QB" - NFL Draft analyst serves harsh reality check to Colorado star on skipping 2025 combine

Shedeur Sanders' planned absence from this week's Draft Combine continues to divide fans and analysts. If one draft analyst is to be asked, it's an indictment of where Shedeur stands in the hierarchy.

On Monday's episode of NFL Live, ESPN's Matt Miller said:

"This is the kind of method that they're going with this offseason, and ... it has become par for the course for quarterbacks to not throw at the Combine. However, the point that I would make is that Shedeur Sanders is not the top quarterback in this year's draft."

Miller also claimed that by not emulating CJ Stroud, Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes, the 4,134-yard; 37-TD Colorado Buffaloes quarterback missed out on a major opportunity to showcase his true potential:

"Personally, I'm not a fan of this," Miller said. "I think you take every opportunity given to you to prove you're the guy. We heard in a soundbite him saying, 'I'm going to be the guy.' Go show you're the guy."

Despite his absence at the Combine, Shedeur Sanders is expected to throw at Colorado's Pro Day.

Among the quarterbacks who will be present are Alabama's Jalen Milroe, Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart and Notre Dame's Riley Leonard. Miami's Cam Ward is undecided as of this writing.

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Giants not ruling out signing free agent even if they draft Shedeur Sanders

One of the teams most heavily linked with Shedeur Sanders is the New York Giants, whom sources told ESPN's Jordan Raanan that they have "their sights on" the son of former divisional rival Deion. However, that "would not necessarily keep the team from targeting a more experienced option at the position" - just as it had happened when Eli Manning competed with Kurt Warner as a rookie.

Two names being floated around are Jameis Winston and Matthew Stafford. Winston, who started for the Cleveland Browns in 2024 after a season-ending injury to Deshaun Watson, enthusiastically welcomed the idea of playing with the team during Super Bowl week:

“Absolutely! I want to keep playing and do what I do best.”

As for Stafford, Malik Nabers is a major fan. Expanding on a series of now-deleted posts on X, the Pro Bowl wideout told Matthew Berry on Fantasy Football Happy Hour:

"His arm talent ... sidearm ... The way he throws the ball, his angles, it's crazy. He knows the defense. He's a veteran quarterback. He led that team to the playoffs without those receivers he was playing with at the beginning of the season when they were hurt. Then when he got them back, he was able to do a lot of great things."

The 2025 NFL Draft will be held from April 24 to 26, with the Giants holding the third overall pick.