Mel Kiper Jr. 'Disgusted' By Shedeur Sanders' 2025 NFL Draft Slide After Day 2

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. was "disgusted" after Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders wasn't selected on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL draft.

"I really have nothing to say. I'm just disgusted. That's all I can say," Kiper said as the third round closed out on Friday.

Sanders, who was once projected as a potential top-five pick, has slid into Day 3 of this year's draft.

In their final mock draft, B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected the quarterback-desperate Cleveland Browns to trade up to No. 20 to select Sanders. Instead, the Browns passed on Sanders four times before selecting Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel at No. 94.

“I’ll tell ya what—Shedeur makes no sense to me. I mean, we could go to 102 picks and end today without Shedeur Sanders being picked,” Kiper said. “That’s nonsensical. This kid should’ve been a first-round draft choice.”

Fellow broadcaster Mike Greenberg called the Sanders situation “shocking,” noting that he’s never seen anything like it before.

"It is inarguably one of the most surprising and shocking stories that I can recall in all of the years that I've been following the draft, and that is about as long as Mel Kiper has been hosting it."

In Sanders' final year at Colorado, he threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 74.0 percent of his passes. He led the Big 12 in both passing yards and touchdowns.

While some have questioned the influence of his father on his draft stock, Kiper believes Sanders’ journey will help him “galvanize” a locker room at the next level.

“But to have a quarterback with the kind of ability he showed under duress, accurate, decision-maker, tough. This to me is about what I think they perceive as cocky or confident? Arrogant or charismatic? Leadership. There’s not gonna be a show. There’s not gonna be a circus with Shedeur Sanders," Kiper continued. "Deion Sanders was one of the hardest-working players in the history of this game. He brought with him a great work ethic. He’s loved in every locker room. Atlanta Braves clubhouse, by the way. Shedeur Sanders will do the same thing. He will galvanize.”

At the end of Day 2, Kiper released his top winners and losers from the first two rounds of the draft. His list of winners included the Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks passed on Sanders with their No. 92 pick, opting for Alabama's Jalen Milroe, a pick that Kiper said "Should have been Shedeur Sanders. But I do like the fit a lot, and the value is still really strong for Milroe."

At the top of his losers list, Kiper labeled the Browns’ selections—including their decision to draft Gabriel—as questionable.

"I don't totally get the approach at quarterback. Let's be clear, I like Gabriel a lot. I picked him as my favorite QB sleeper in the class. He's a winner who throws with pinpoint accuracy and timing. Gabriel sees the field well, too—he doesn't turn the ball over," Kiper wrote. "All that said, I thought he'd be a really good Day 3 get for some team. And I certainly never thought he'd go before Sanders, and even Kyle McCord and Will Howard."

He also criticized the New Orleans Saints for taking Louisville’s Tyler Shough at No. 40.

"I wrote about the Saints and the quarterback class last night, and I won't completely re-hash that here. Shough has great arm strength; he can spin it. He has a ton of experience, too (43 games)," Kiper Jr. wrote. "But I still think Sanders is a much better quarterback. We're talking about my No. 46 prospect vs. my No. 5 prospect. The Saints had a chance to completely wash away my issues with their first-round approach by taking Sanders. I guess we'll see how it all plays out."

Joining his losers list were the Buffalo Bills and Denver Broncos.

With one day left in the NFL draft on Saturday, Sanders—along with the rest of the football world—continues to wait to hear his name called.