Mel Kiper Jr. Says Shedeur Sanders Sliding Into 20s in NFL Draft Would Be a 'Shocker'

With the 2025 NFL draft less than a month away, many are still wondering about the projection for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

During an episode of First Draft, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. was asked about the possibility of Sanders having an Aaron Rodgers-like drop in the first round, referring to the four-time NFL MVP's fall to the Green Bay Packers with the No. 24 pick in 2005. Kiper said he would be surprised if the signal-caller fell that far, but he didn't rule it out.

"That would be a shocker to me, but shockers happen, and you can't predict shockers," Kiper said at the 13:05 mark. "Aaron Rodgers was projected to be No. 1 in the draft, and he drops to 24 to Green Bay, that can happen."

Kiper went on to add that history has shown that falling in the draft isn't necessarily a career indictment, as others who experienced that still managed to find success.

"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 said.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department predicted in its mock draft that Sanders would be selected by the Cleveland Browns with the No. 2 pick, and Kiper doesn't expect him to fall much further than that.

"Do I think Shedeur would get down there? No, I don't," Kiper said. "I still think he goes to the [New York] Giants at No. 3."