In just under two weeks, the 2025 NFL Draft will get underway in Green Bay, bringing to an end months of speculation, debates and uncertainty for all 32 teams.
The first round could be a wild one, especially in a year in which there doesn’t appear to be many true, first-round talents.
For ESPN’s Matt Miller, who spoke with a high-level NFL scout, there could be quite a bit of perceived reaches in the first round, based on where media members might have players compared to teams on boards. That same scout made a bold prediction based on everything he knows right now: Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart will be selected over Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders.
“This first round is going to be wild,” the scout told Miller, relating that the lack of consensus grades means we’ll see many reaches in Round 1 compared to media boards, Miller writes for ESPN.com in the latest NFL Draft intel. “According to the scout, multiple NFL teams have Dart ranked over Sanders and believe he has better physical traits (arm strength, mobility) and more developmental upside.”
It could be quite the wild first round, and the Pittsburgh Steelers could be a team that factors into it.
The Steelers have a major need at quarterback, and they have been doing their due diligence on the position from a draft perspective, all while waiting for a decision from 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers.
On Thursday, the Steelers hosted Sanders for a pre-draft visit, checking an important box when it comes to the Colorado star quarterback being the potential first-round pick for the Black and Gold, and continuing to build upon the buzz about a possible landing spot with the Steelers.
Early in the pre-draft process, the belief was that Sanders wouldn’t have a chance to fall in the first round. But as the draft draws closer, it appears Sanders has a real chance to fall, which could put him in position for the Steelers to pick him.
There have been some reports that he didn’t interview well, and those came after he didn’t participate in drills or testing at the NFL Combine and didn’t participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl despite accepting an early invite.
But on the field, there’s no denying Sanders’ talent.
In two years at Colorado, Sanders burst onto the scene and put up some impressive numbers. He passed for 6,452 yards with 54 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions, completing 71% of his passes. He processes well, is tough as nails in the pocket, and has good mobility to extend plays and make big-time throws down the field.
Dart, meanwhile, continues to generate a great deal of buzz and seems to be climbing up boards late in the process. NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah compared Dart to Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, and the multi-year starter in the SEC is starting to be talked about as a top-10 pick.
Sanders might be the bigger name and command more attention, but from the sounds of it, teams seem to prefer Dart to Sanders at the quarterback situation. That could ultimately bode well for a team like the Steelers, who have shown interest in both and very clearly need a quarterback moving forward.
