Will Shedeur Sanders get drafted on Day 3? 3 last hopes before Coach Prime's son suffer potential UDFA fate ft. Dallas Cowboys

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders continues his shocking slide in the 2025 NFL Draft. The son of Pro Football Hall of Fame Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders remains available heading into Day 3, despite being widely projected as a first-round talent before the draft.

Through three rounds and 102 picks, Sanders has watched five quarterbacks get selected ahead of him. They are Miami's Cam Ward (No. 1 overall to Tennessee), Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart (No. 25 to the New York Giants), Louisville's Tyler Shough (No. 40 to New Orleans), Alabama's Jalen Milroe (No. 92 to Seattle), and Oregon's Dillon Gabriel (No. 94 to Cleveland).

"Thank you GOD for EVERYTHING," Sanders posted on X during the third round, as reported by The Guardian.

This unexpected fall could cost Sanders approximately $40 million. According to the NY Times reporting, if Sanders had been selected at No. 5 overall, he would have earned $40.8 million over his rookie contract. Even at No. 25, where the Giants took Dart instead, he would have secured $16.9 million. Now, if drafted in the fourth round, his total rookie salary would drop to around $5 million.

Should Sanders go completely undrafted, he would become an undrafted free agent (UDFA) and lose even more financial ground. UDFAs typically sign three-year contracts at league minimum salary ($840,000 for 2025), compared to the four-year deals given to drafted players.

---

3 last hopes for Shedeur Sanders

Colorado Black & Gold Spring Game - Source: Getty

As Day 3 begins, three teams stand out as potential landing spots for Shedeur Sanders before he potentially faces UDFA status:

#3 The Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers have been linked to Sanders throughout the draft process. With Mason Rudolph currently slated as their starter and playoff aspirations, the Steelers could use a quarterback with Sanders' upside. Sanders visited the Steelers' facility pre-draft, but Pittsburgh passed on him in the first and third rounds (they didn't have a second-round pick), selecting Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson in round three instead.

#2 The Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have multiple Day 3 picks and need solid backup options given Tua Tagovailoa's injury history. Shedeur Sanders' strengths in timing and accuracy would fit the Dolphins' offensive system well, according to USA Today.

#1 The Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys represent perhaps the most intriguing landing spot. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones knows the Sanders family well and recently praised Shedeur's character:

"With my knowledge, I know where the character is there, and boy, it is great character," Jones said on Friday. "It is an unbelievable competitive winning character for sports."

Dallas already has Dak Prescott as a starter and Joe Milton as a backup option. Bringing Sanders to the Cowboys would add star power and fuel speculation about Deion Sanders potentially coaching the team someday.

One NFL executive told ESPN there was "no smoking gun, but it's not just football either" regarding Shedeur Sanders' fall.

Several concerns may explain Shedeur Sanders' unexpected slide. He was sacked 94 times over his last two college seasons, raising questions about his pocket awareness. Scouts have also questioned his arm strength and ability to adapt to playing for someone other than his father.

If Sanders isn't drafted in rounds four through seven, he cannot return to college football. He has a year of eligibility remaining after playing one season at Jackson State and two at Colorado. But Shedeur Sanders forfeited his college eligibility by declaring for the NFL Draft, according to the NFL's College Advisory Committee.