Shedeur, Shilo Sanders' Top Landing Spots After Day 1 of 2025 NFL Draft

The first round of the 2025 NFL draft is in the books, but the biggest storyline might have been who wasn't selected.

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders fell out of the first round entirely even though fellow signal-callers Cam Ward (No. 1 overall) and Jaxson Dart (No. 25 overall) heard their names called.

He wasn't the only member of his family who wasn't selected, as Buffaloes safety Shilo Sanders is still available after the first round as well.

That part wasn't surprising, as the defensive back wasn't expected to be picked in the first round. But he is still a headline name who could help out an NFL secondary down the line as a mid- to late-round pick.

Wth both Sanders' still available heading into Friday's second and third rounds, here is a look at some potential landing spots.

Shedeur Sanders

AP Photo/David Zalubowski

Where will Shedeur Sanders end up?

It is the most pressing question of the entire draft heading into the second round, but he likely won't have to wait too long. After all, there was a time when he was seen as a surefire first-round pick despite Thursday's fall.

Here are some teams that could jump at the chance to add him:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Cleveland Browns

New Orleans Saints

Los Angeles Rams

The quarterback rooms for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns are anything but settled.

While Pittsburgh has been connected to Aaron Rodgers at times this offseason, he is yet to commit to the AFC North team. And its current depth chart of Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson is anything but inspiring in a division that features Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson.

Even if Rodgers did eventually sign with the Steelers, it's not like the 41-year-old is the quarterback of the future. Sanders could learn for a year behind him and then eventually take over.

As for the Browns, Deshaun Watson is sidelined by another Achilles injury and has underperformed during his time with the team. Like Pittsburgh, the current depth chart of Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett isn't exactly set up to challenge for a Super Bowl title.

The New Orleans Saints also stand out as a possible landing spot given Derek Carr's shoulder concerns. With players such as Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara on the offense, Sanders could step in and play point guard for the NFC South club.

The Los Angeles Rams are a bit different than the other possible landing spots. After all, Matthew Stafford is the clear-cut starter, although he is 37 years old and might be on the closing stretch of his career.

Sanders could sit behind him for a season or two and be the long-term plan under center.

Shilo Sanders

AP Photo/Rob Gray

Despite being a headline name and the son of Hall of Famer and Colorado coach Deion Sanders, Shilo Sanders wasn't viewed as a top-notch prospect entering the draft.

In fact, B/R's NFL Scouting Department did not rank him in its latest big board of the top 250 prospects or project him to come off the board in the first three rounds of a mock draft. That means teams may be able to wait until Saturday's later rounds if they want Sanders and use their second- and third-round picks elsewhere.

Here is a look at some of those teams that could use safety depth that stand out as potential landing spots:

Jacksonville Jaguars

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Philadelphia Eagles

Although his age (25 years old) may be working against him, there are still some things to like about Sanders' game. His speed jumps out after he ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at Colorado's pro day, which should help him establish himself as a downhill player who can close gaps and assist against the run game.

Sanders can unleash some big hits across the middle and plays with a level of physicality that would be welcome on plenty of defenses.

He also showed an ability to make impact plays during his two seasons at Colorado with an interception returned for a touchdown and four forced fumbles in 2023 to go along with two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown, in 2024.

Sanders will need to improve the angles he takes in coverage and some of his overall tackling in the secondary once he reaches the NFL, but he can still provide solid depth for a defensive backfield as a valuable pick in the later rounds.