Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders is one of the most interesting prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft class due to the attention he brings as the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
Throughout much of the pre-draft process, the expectation was Sanders would find himself picked inside the top five of the draft, but in the last month or so, a lot of talk has centered on Sanders falling out of the top five, and potentially falling to the bottom of Round 1.
That’s led to plenty of discussion regarding Sanders and the Pittsburgh Steelers, a team that he visited as part of his official pre-draft visit tour. But for longtime NFL Draft analyst Todd McShay of The Ringer, the New York Giants remain firmly interested in Sanders at No. 3 overall, while the New Orleans Saints at No. 9 won’t be drafting him.
McShay stated as much about the Giants on the latest episode of his podcast “The McShay Show” on YouTube Monday morning, and highlighted the Saints news in his latest buzz article on his blog Monday as well.
“I’m told by multiple sources, I’m not saying everyone in the scouting department for the New York Giants, but I’m saying all the rumors and all the buzz you’ve been hearing about these quarterback, about Shedeur Sanders and the New York Giants, and you keep hearing everyone say, and I told you I had that conversation last Sunday, a week ago. Don’t close the book on Shedeur with the Giants,” McShay said of Sanders and the Giants at No. 3, according to video via his show’s YouTube page. “Something’s going on there, something’s going on. And it was, and it’s still maybe is, and I’m not sure in the last 24 hours, but as of 48 hours ago, there’s still a little push from the personnel department — that’s Joe Schoen, the general manager, his director is scouting the college director, all the scouts. I can’t say individually who it is, but apparently someone on that side or multiple people on that side are more, let’s really consider Shedeur at three.
“I’ve been told [owner] John Mara is staying out of it so far. Again, just sources. I haven’t talked to the Mara family, but that there’s a little bit more of a push than expected from the personnel people, and that the coaching staff, obviously headed by Brian DaBoll, the head coach, is anti taking Shedeur at three.”
The Giants have done a lot of work on Sanders throughout the pre-draft process. Most recently, the Giants had a private workout with Sanders, continuing to show interest in the big-name quarterback.
Despite signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston this offseason, the Giants remain interested in Sanders with front office personnel pushing for him within the room, while the coaching staff – according to McShay — isn’t sold. Even ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported recently that the Giants’ decision makers are split on Sanders.
As for the Saints, who have been connected to Sanders throughout the pre-draft process at No. 9 overall, especially with the Derek Carr news, they won’t be taking Sanders, according to McShay.
In his latest article, McShay stated that he’s heard the Saints won’t be taking Sanders in the first or second round.
“More specifically, I have no expectation that the Browns will trade up from 33, and I’ve heard that the Saints won’t be drafting Shedeur Sanders in the first or second round,” McShay said. “Jaxson Dart has some love in league circles, but I’m not sure there’s a large enough gap between him and my QB4 (Tyler Shough) in this class to justify taking Dart over a player who’s more of a sure thing.”
The Saints not taking Sanders in the first or second round is rather noteworthy from McShay, as the Saints hold the No. 40 overall pick in the second round, too. Of course, it could all be a smokescreen at this point in the pre-draft process, but all indications are that the Saints have done more work on a guy like Dart than Sanders.
If the Giants don’t take Sanders at No. 3, and the Saints pass on him at No. 9, he could find himself falling right into range for the Steelers, who need a quarterback in a big way.
It will be very interesting to see how things play out later this week when it comes to Sanders.
