Who Will Draft Shedeur Sanders? Predicting Colorado QB's NFL Draft Landing Spot
One of the most polarizing prospects in recent NFL history, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders will be a hot topic when the NFL draft gets underway on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET (NFL Network, ESPN, ABC) from Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
For a year, fans have been asking who will draft Shedeur Sanders? Deion's son opened as the favorite by the NFL draft odds to be the No. 1 pick. But a lot has been changing since then, with some draftniks no longer believing he'll even end up hearing his name called in the first round.
With several teams in need of a quarterback on Thursday night, we're looking at the best bet for who will draft Sanders and which long shot to consider.
🦬 Predictions for who will draft Shedeur Sanders
Latest odds on which NFL team will draft Shedeur Sanders, updated on April 22 from DraftKings. Odds are subject to change.
- Pittsburgh Steelers: +190
- Cleveland Browns: +200
- New York Giants: +215
- New Orleans Saints: +700
- Las Vegas Raiders: +700
- New York Jets: +1600
- Los Angeles Rams: +2000
- Seattle Seahawks: +2500
- Miami Dolphins: +2500
- Dallas Cowboys: +3000
📈 Favorite to draft Shedeur Sanders
⚒️ Pittsburgh Steelers (+400)
At first glance, this landing spot couldn't make more sense for Sanders. The Pittsburgh Steelers desperately need a quarterback, and Mike Tomlin loves players with NFL bloodlines. Pittsburgh currently boasts more than five players on its roster whose father or brother has also played in the NFL.
Tomlin also recently gushed about Sanders' toughness. As a result, Pittsburgh's odds to draft the Colorado star have been rapidly shortening at our best sports betting sites.
However, the last time the Steelers drafted a QB in the first round was also a year in which the class was considered underwhelming, like this one. That's when former general manager Kevin Colbert selected Kenny Pickett in his final draft before Omar Khan took over Pittsburgh's front office. While Sanders is a far better prospect than Pickett, he shares many of the same concerns regarding his lack of arm strength and tendency to hold on to the ball while trying to extend plays, despite a lack of athleticism.
These odds are just too short, and getting shorter, especially with Alabama's Jalen Milroe making more sense for Pittsburgh. Sanders also doesn't seem to be a great fit in the Steelers' offense under Arthur Smith with receivers DK Metcalf and George Pickens alongside. That trio is going to want vertical balls off play-action passes.
However, Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl was part of the front office with the Philadelphia Eagles that selected Jalen Hurts, a player Milroe has been drawing comparisons to for his athleticism, size, and football character.
📊 Best odds: +400 via bet365 | Implied probability: 20%
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💰 Best bet to draft Shedeur Sanders
🟤 Cleveland Browns (+450)
Don't expect Sanders to be selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That's where Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry will be taking Heisman winner, and Sanders' Colorado teammate, Travis Hunter. But what if Berry pulls off a Kevin Costner-like move and has "Travis and Shedeur no matter what" written on a piece of paper somewhere? We all know Deion would support the move.
On a serious note, though, it makes plenty of sense if the NFL doesn't view Sanders quite as highly as the media has throughout the draft process. Cleveland controls the second round of the draft, holding the first pick on Friday (No. 33). That means if Sanders does slip out of the first round like some have insinuated he might, Cleveland is right there to pair him with Hunter and give Browns fans something to get excited about this season coming off the Deshaun Watson debacle.
Alternatively, that pick holds major value if the Browns want to jump back into the first round should Sanders slip and they want to secure him, and the fifth-year option that comes with a first-round pick. Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam is a showman if nothing else, and it's not hard to imagine the dollar signs he's seeing tied to the idea of pairing Hunter and Sanders together in the pros.
The man already mortgaged the team's future with his guarantee of Watson's contract, so a few draft picks to move back into the first round to select Sanders wouldn't be significant. Plus, Kevin Stefanski's offense might be the best fit for Sanders. The Browns would boast two receivers who thrive on extending plays in Hunter and Jerry Jeudy, and a tight end who can work the seam in David Njoku.
This is the best-case scenario for Sanders, Hunter (who gets a QB with unlimited trust in him), the Browns, and Haslam's wallet.
📊 Best odds: +450 via bet365 | Implied probability: 18.18%
🎯 Best long shot bet to draft Shedeur Sanders
🐬 Miami Dolphins (+6000)
Never say never. The Atlanta Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180-million contract, and fewer than two months later drafted Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick. Could Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins finally be looking for an upgrade over Tua Tagovailoa?
The team can get out of his contract following the 2026 season, and injuries and inconsistencies continue to plague the former Alabama star. So if McDaniel and Dolphins general manager Chris Grier are worried about their jobs, drafting Sanders at No. 13 or in a trade back could inject some excitement into Miami. There's a slim shot of this happening, but it would be a good way for a team somewhat stuck in purgatory to reset, especially if the Dolphins plan to move on from Tyreek Hill.
Sanders would be a spectacular fit for McDaniel's offense, too. His quick processing skills would pair well with McDaniel's scheme, which looks to get its best playmakers the ball in space, something we saw Sanders do plenty with Hunter at Colorado. The Dolphins' offensive speed would also help Sanders get a larger window with more room for error on vertical throws, and his accuracy is shaky downfield.
Thinking reasonably about this, there's almost no way Miami selects Sanders. But these odds at FanDuel are a lot longer - paying a $600 profit on a $10 winning bet - than at our other best sports betting apps (+2500).
📊 Best odds: +6000 via FanDuel | Implied probability: 1.64%
📍 Mock draft predictions for Shedeur Sanders
| NFL analyst | Landing spot | Best odds |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Jeremiah (NFL Media) | New York Giants | +350 via BetMGM |
| Lance Zierlein (NFL Media) | Cleveland Browns | +450 via bet365 |
| Dane Brugler (The Athletic) | Pittsburgh Steelers | +400 via bet365 |
| Jordan Reid (ESPN) | New Orleans Saints | +700 via DraftKings |
| Mel Kiper (ESPN) | New Orleans Saints | +700 via DraftKings |
| Danny Kelly (The Ringer) | New York Jets | +2000 via FanDuel |
| Josh Norris & Hayden Winks (Underdog) | New York Giants (second round) | +350 via BetMGM |
| Nate Tice & Charles McDonald (Yahoo Sports) | N/A (not selected in first round) | N/A |
| Mike Renner (CBS Sports) | Pittsburgh Steelers | +400 via bet365 |
🤖 AI prediction: Who will draft Shedeur Sanders?
For entertainment purposes, we asked ChatGPT to analyze this year's NFL draft class and team needs before predicting which team will select Shedeur Sanders. Our AI prediction projects that the New Orleans Saints will draft Shedeur Sanders.
🖥️ AI prediction: Saints will draft Shedeur Sanders
🏈 Quarterback need: Derek Carr's status with the team is uncertain for the 2025 season due to injury concerns with his shoulder
🏈 System fit: New head coach Kellen Moore's offensive system could benefit from Sanders' skill set, which aligns with Moore's West Coast passing approach
🏈 Draft position: With the No. 9 pick, the Saints are in a position to select a quarterback without significant trade-up costs, making Sanders an attractive option
🤔 Betting takeaway: ChatGPT's AI prediction would mean the Saints drafting Shedeur Sanders (+700). ChatGPT is a large language model and not specifically designed for predicting sporting events, so these projections should be viewed as entertainment or a supplementary data point for your NFL draft betting research.
🔮 Expert NFL draft predictions
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