Shedeur Sanders’ freefall just days before the NFL draft continues. No matter whom you ask right now. The public opinion on Sanders is that either he could be a future Pro Bowl and All-Pro QB, or he will fail to live up to his immense hype. That hype, which appeared to have put Sanders as a top 5 prospect in this year’s draft, has all but evaporated. Now according to ESPN’s latest draft rankings, Deion Sanders’ son is nowhere near the top.

ESPN’s draft analyst Matt Miller released his final draft rankings ahead of the show in Green Bay. With only 10 days remaining, Sanders’ projection in Miller’s draft only reiterates the fact he ain’t a top prospect anymore. Miller ranked Sanders 25th on his draft board. Now, he also backed it up with some solid analysis as to why Sanders was there. “Sanders has some bad habits he needs to clean up, such as throwing late over the middle and holding the football for too long,” Miller wrote in his report.

Sanders, as you know, is an incredibly polished passer. He led FBS with 74% pass completion rate and was only 2nd in TD passes (37). His football placement and ability to throw with outstanding poise make him stand out. However, it’s his lack of ability to release the football quicker that has kept on hurting his draft stock. Shedeur’s 2.96 seconds to throw the football was ranked 110th in the FBS last season. So, obviously, it made him the nation’s most sacked QB for 2nd straight season (42).

He won’t be your mobile passer, but whenever he does get time, he can be a deadly passer. Sanders’ 6.5% off-target throws were ranked 3rd lowest in the FBS last season. This has allowed his receivers to gain extra yardage after the catch. Just take Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter’s example. He played with Sanders in Colorado and caught 96 catches for 1,258 yards last season. So, Sanders may not be the top QB who can instantly take the NFL by storm. But there’s no doubt he has enough talent for franchises to think twice before moving past him.

While franchises continue to ponder the prospect of adding Sanders, there’s a warning out there. This warning not only applies to the franchise in question, but also to Shedeur’s success in the NFL.

Saints asked to control their urge to draft Shedeur Sanders

With a $150M QB, Derek Carr, whose 2025 season is in doubt because of a sudden shoulder injury, the Saints have been thrust into the QB market. After they chose to restructure Carr’s contract, the Saints thought they could somehow ride out the storm this season. However, the moment Carr’s future got a question mark, the Saints are scrambling for QBs.

In an already weak QB class with Cam Ward betrothed to the Titans at No.1, the Saints have been constantly linked with Shedeur Sanders. His falling draft stock may allow the Saints to capture him at No.9. While it may seem like a great catch for the Saints, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski thinks otherwise.

He feels that Sanders and Saints don’t fit in each other’s plans. The reason? The Saints’ first-year head coach, Kellen Moore. “In two of the past three seasons while serving as the offensive coordinator between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, Moore’s QBs ranked among the league’s top 10 in average air yards per attempt,” Sobleski wrote in his report. And he is not wrong.

Last year, Jalen Hurts was constantly questioned for his lack of passing yards. He was obviously winning games for the Eagles. But Hurts had a measured approach to his passes on the air. He never took too many risks and preferred running with the football more. Jalen scored 19 rushing TDs in total on his way to capture the Eagles’ second Lombardi.

However, Sanders is the polar opposite of Hurts’ incredible athleticism. He had negative rushing yards in his two seasons with the Buffaloes. So, considering Moore prefers a run-heavy offense, Sanders may not sit right in his offensive scheme. But obviously, time will tell where he ends up landing. Whether it’s the Saints or somewhere else, all eyes will be on Shedeur once the draft kicks off in 10 days.