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Sanders' Draft Slide Jolts QB Class
12 May
Summary
- Shedeur Sanders slid unexpectedly to the fifth round, impacting other quarterbacks.
- Will Howard felt Sanders' draft drop hurt his and others' draft position.
- Five quarterbacks were drafted in the first two days, with a logjam breaking later.
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Will Howard has stated that Shedeur Sanders' unexpected fall in the 2025 NFL Draft had a considerable impact on the quarterback class. Sanders, who was widely anticipated to be a first-round selection, was eventually drafted by the Cleveland Browns at pick No. 144 overall in the fifth round, a dramatic slide in recent draft history.
Speaking on The Christian Kuntz Podcast, Howard explained that he believed Sanders' slide directly influenced his own draft position and that of other quarterbacks. Howard mentioned he had expected to be drafted on Day 2 but heard that the situation surrounding Sanders caused teams to hesitate on selecting quarterbacks like himself, Riley Leonard, Kyle McCord, and Quinn Ewers.
Initially, five quarterbacks were drafted within the first two days of the draft. However, after Sanders was selected, the market appeared to re-open, with Kyle McCord, Howard, and Riley Leonard all being chosen within a span of 10 picks in the sixth round. Howard was ultimately selected by Pittsburgh at No. 185 overall.
Sanders, in his rookie season, started seven games, achieving a 3-4 record with 1,400 passing yards, seven touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. As he heads into his second season, he is competing for the starting role against Deshaun Watson. New head coach Todd Monken has described the competition as open, though reports suggest Watson may have an early advantage.
