Last year, NFL teams hungry for a franchise-changing quarterback found themselves spoiled for choice. The draft was stacked with talent under center, with six top prospects all snatched up within the top 12 picks. Fast forward a year, and the echoes of that quarterback-rich class have faded away. Apart from Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, there hasn’t been much buzz or love for this year’s QB class, and as such, teams this year are in a race to pick either of the two stars. However, in recent weeks, Sanders has seen his stock take a hit while others have crept up the board.

Sanders skipping throwing drills at the NFL combine didn’t help his cause and hasn’t really showcased the skillset to league scouts. As such, the early optimism around him being a top 5 pick has faded to some extent. But there have been other factors at play which former Jacksonville Jaguars coach Urban Meyer talked about a few weeks ago. “The reason he’s slipping is they’re looking at the competition that he played. I don’t know if I necessarily agree with that. But I understand, throughout the NFL, there’s a concern about if he can make the throw in the tight windows because, in the Big 12 conference, he didn’t have to do that very much,” he said on FS1’s The Herd.

It has also emerged that he is no longer favored to be drafted by the New York Giants as was reported to be the case earlier. But the likes of the Cleveland Browns and other teams remain in the hunt, and Jordan Schultz has a word of warning for them.

The NFL insider, Schultz, appeared on The Herd to talk about Sanders after watching his Pro Day performance in Boulder. “He’s a good athlete… just not a great runner. He’s fast. He’s not electric. He can maneuver the pocket enough, but he is a pocket guy, so there are certain things that Shedeur does that Cam doesn’t do and vice versa,” he mentioned.  The warning? Don’t draft him expecting Lamar Jackson 2.0. Draft him to win from the pocket. However, Schultz believes that Sanders has the ability to be a starter at any team that picks him.

“This is not near the type of class that we saw last year. But Shedeur Sanders is going to be a starting-caliber high-end quarterback, I believe. Why he’s not doing the 40 and the cone drills, that’s up to interpretation. But I think a big part of it is because he recognizes that what he does best isn’t really going to show when it comes to the drills,” Schultz stressed.

Shedeur turned up for Colorado’s Pro Day on Friday and showcased his deep play accuracy. He finished 58-of-63 with three dropped passes overall. While his arm strength has been in question, Sanders’s ability to throw several perfect deep balls will help his stock in the coming days.

“He is a pocket guy, he throws a really accurate ball. An executive told me it’s basically like a 20-yard handoff. That’s his game, and I think when it comes to Shedeur at the next level, he’s probably ready to go more than people realize because he’s played so much football at Jackson and in Colorado and because his game really is a pro-level pocket game,” Schultz added. When you look at Sanders’ game at Colorado there is a slight concern, which may be the reason why he has seen his stock take a hit.

Sanders thrived in quick-pass situations at Colorado, completing 91.7% of his throws for 1,860 yards, 20 touchdowns, and just four picks when releasing the ball in under 2.5 seconds. But when given more time, his efficiency dipped. Rather than standing tall in collapsing pockets, he often hesitated, shying away from pressure instead of delivering the defining throws expected of top-tier quarterbacks at the NFL level.

He was sacked 34 times, with a 21.9% pressure-to-sack rate, highlighting his struggles to extend plays or rise in chaotic moments, something teams like the Giants and others desperately need. Meanwhile, the Browns are circling like sharks. GM Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski dined with Sanders after his Pro Day.

Stefanski raved: “The ball came out super easy… He wasn’t just sitting back there and making throws. He was moving in the pocket and was making some high-level throws.” For a franchise haunted by 30 starting QBs since 1999, Sanders’ résumé—reviving Jackson State and Colorado—is catnip.

“I don’t think Jackson State or Colorado had a winning history before I got there,” Sanders said post-workout. “Whoever sees the value in that will be lucky to get me.” Cleveland’s decision-makers, whose jobs hinge on fixing QB purgatory, are listening. But here’s the rub. Sanders isn’t a scrambler. He’s a throwback—a Dan Marino in a Patrick Mahomes world. But in today’s NFL, where dual-threat QBs dominate, does that make him a relic or a revelation?

One anonymous exec summed it up: “His offensive line was always an issue in college, but turnovers never were.” So, Sanders thrives under pressure. But can he survive Cleveland’s historically leaky O-line? Then there is another twist in Sanders’ NFL fate: The Tennessee Titans just canceled their private workout with him. Cue the record scratch.

Titans tap the brakes on Sanders

On Monday, Ian Rapoport reported the Titans and Sanders mutually axed their April 9 workout. Tennessee’s brass had already seen enough: four years of tape, live scouting, and a Pro Day where Sanders drilled 60-plus throws with surgical precision. “Shedeur threw the ball well,” Titans GM Mike Borgonzi said. “It just confirms a lot of stuff you saw on tape—he can drive the deep ball, you saw that here today.” But they’re eyeing Miami’s Cam Ward instead. But why?

While the Titans pivot to Cam Ward, the Saints are sniffing around. New Orleans hosted Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, a raw but electric dual-threat, per Schultz. But Sanders remains their betting favorite. However, Tennessee’s move speaks volumes. “Cam Ward is a Titan,” analyst Dane Brugler declared. Ward’s 4,313-yard, 39-TD 2024 season at Miami—paired with fierce competitiveness, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler—sealed the deal.

For Sanders, Cleveland’s interest now feels like destiny. Or desperation. Besides, Shedeur Sanders isn’t just a draft pick. He’s a litmus test for teams torn between tradition and trend. Cleveland’s Stefanski put it best: “Ball placement was good. Moved well… high-level throws.”

For the Browns, Titans, and Saints, this draft could define the next few years. Do you bet on Sanders’ pocket poise, Ward’s upside, or Milroe’s legs?