With the selection of Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders’ new-look offense is coming into focus.
This offseason, Las Vegas has already traded for Geno Smith, signed guard Alex Cappa and signed veteran back Raheem Mostert. And now Jeanty is in the mix as a workhorse in the running back room.
Pete Carroll is no stranger to a run-first offense. By investing in both the offensive line and the backfield, it’s clear the Raiders seem to be building a little bit of that identity for themselves. With Smith’s downfield passing ability, that could make for a balanced attack.
Las Vegas could probably still use some help at receiver, and the team will have eight more picks to possibly address that position as well.
Last week, the top running back in the 2025 draft class, Ashton Jeanty, published an open letter to NFL general managers in The Players’ Tribune. It was a window into the Heisman Trophy finalist from Boise State’s mindset and it may have won over his new team, the Las Vegas Raiders.
“There’s nothing I want more than to be great at football,” Jeanty wrote.
“I’ve taken the long way,” Jeanty added. “I’m done with that way. If you pick me, it’s simple: I’m coming to your franchise to do what Saquon and the Eagles just did. I’m coming to win, big, soon.”
Newly drafted Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, is a prolific tackle breaker who runs through contact.
How good is he at it? His 1,889 yards after contact last season is more than any college football player and more than 61 full FBS teams, according to the Mountain West Conference. Even more, he faced a box filled with at least seven defenders 266 times, more than any other running back in the league, so he performed at that high level even when defenses were scheming to stop him.
With their pick of Ashton Jeanty, the Las Vegas Raiders just picked a running back at the highest spot since 2018.
That year, the New York Giants picked Saquon Barkley from Penn State 2nd overall. A year prior, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Leonard Fournette from LSU with the fourth overall pick, one year after the Dallas Cowboys picked Zeke Elliott at four, too.
Membou’s compact build is unorthodox for a tackle, but I think he’ll stick there at the next level. He generates so much explosiveness from his lower half and is excellent at mirroring pass rushers.
Sure, the Browns decision to trade the second overall pick to Jaguars was a big surprise. But until the Browns picked Graham at five, the previous four picks were all chalk.
Virtually every media mock draft — including from draft analysts like The Ringer’s Todd McShay, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, NBC Sports’ Chris Simms and Connor Rogers, and ESPN’s Matt Miller and Peter Shrager all — all picked the top four player selections correctly.
But only Simms started 5/5.
Jeanty plays with some of the best balance you will ever see at the position and can handle a significant workload on all three downs from day one. He can be the identity of an offense from the first second he steps in the building.
LSU tackle Will Campbell just went fourth overall to the Patriots, but there’s been some consternation among some in the draft community over the pick (which has long been expected) for an odd reason: his arm length.
It’s an odd quirk about the NFL draft process, every measurement is scrutinized. Campbell’s arms measured in at 32 5/8 inches during the Combine, but at 33 inches at LSU’s pro day (multiple prospects were measured smaller at the Combine than at their pro day).
Why is that a potential concern? Per NBCSports Boston, his wingspan is the shortest of any tackle measured at the NFL Combine since 2011, and many NFL scouts believe arm length is important for tackles trying to keep rushing defensive ends at bay.
But NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said Thursday night he believes Campbell can still be an impact tackle in the NFL, but “at the absolute worst case scenario, you’ve got yourself a Pro Bowl caliber guard down the road.”
Graham is a brick wall when defending the run, showing off the strength to take on double teams and hold the point of attack. As a pass rusher, he plays with violent hands and elite grip strength that comes from his wrestling background.
When Chris Carter, the father of No. 3 pick Abdul Carter, was asked by ABC interviewer Laura Rutledge about his expectations for his son’s rookie year, Carter said Abdul would “without a doubt” become the defensive rookie of the year for the Giants. Here’s the thing: It just might happen.
The Patriots go with a floor selection in Campbell. I think he’s a (very good) long-term NFL guard, but they might let him give left tackle a shot considering the capital spent here.
The Giants have a good edge rush duo in Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux, but Carter is simply too talented to pass up here.
Carter is a missile off the ball who makes it nearly impossible for blockers to match his acceleration and movement skills. Turn on the tape against USC, Ohio State, Washington, Oregon and Notre Dame to see a game-wrecking presence.
What Hunter accomplished in college was historic: he played more than 90% of Colorado’s offensive and defensive snaps, according to the school (excluding injury) — finishing in the top five nationally for receptions and receiving touchdowns, all while cementing his status as a shutdown man-to-man corner (his 11 pass deflections were tied for 14th nationally). That’s why he won the Heisman.
And many analysts believe he’d be a top (if not the top) cornerback or wide receiver in the draft if he played either one exclusively.
It’s clear Hunter is a transcendent talent, but teams and analysts are torn on how they’d use him, and whether it’s worth the injury risk to have him play both sides of the ball.
Colorado receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter defied tradition last fall when he became the first two-way and first defensive player to win college football’s highest individual honor, the Heisman Trophy, since 1997. Yet when he was picked second in tonight’s NFL draft, he continued a different streak.
Hunter is now the seventh consecutive Heisman winner to be drafted in the top 10. The streak dates to Baker Mayfield, in 2018. Before Mayfield, previous winners Lamar Jackson (32nd in 2018) and Derrick Henry (45th in 2016) fell outside, although each has since become an All-Pro talent.
Now that the Jaguars have traded up for the second overall pick, which they used to take two-way weapon and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, it’s worth looking back at what new General Manager James Gladstone said when he joined the team.
“We will prioritize people and players that are intangibly rich, and by doing so, they will elevate our ecosystem by being nothing more than themselves,” he said.
Hunter’s skills are obvious, and possibly transcendent. But draft analysts, teams and former coaches rave about his personality and drive too.
Great intrigue at the top of the NFL draft tonight, with the Jags trading up with the Browns for the No. 2 pick. Some early thoughts for each team…
Browns: This feels like a vote of no confidence in this year’s quarterback class. Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam said earlier this offseason the Deshaun Watson move was a “big swing and miss.” What Haslam didn’t say is Watson’s contract is too onerous to move off of right now. The Browns seem to know they aren’t a Travis Hunter away, and if they are bad again (seems likely!) they may have a better chance of finding a QB next year while still stocking the team with talent with the fifth pick.
Jaguars: Selecting Travis Hunter could be the shot in the arm this team desperately needs. With a new coach and general manager, Jacksonville clearly wanted to inject new life into the organization this year. Hunter could not only be a weapon for the yet-to-realize-his-potential Trevor Lawrence, he could be an impact defender and maybe even single-handedly draw fans into the stands.
After a trade with the Cleveland Browns, the Jacksonville Jaguars got their guy.
On defense, Hunter is an explosive defender in coverage with high-end ball skills. Those aspects also translate to the offensive side of the ball, where he generates separation but can climb the ladder to make difficult catches.
The Cleveland Browns have traded the No. 2 pick to Jacksonville, which held the fifth overall pick, according to multiple reports. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns are trading the No. 2 pick, a fourth-round pick and a sixth-round pick.
The Jaguars are trading No. 5, a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick and a 2026 first-rounder, per Schefter.
We were spoiled with last year’s quarterback class, and it has wrongfully taken some of the shine off of Cam Ward as a prospect. He has the arm, playmaking ability, and demeanor to lead Tennessee for a long time.
Green Bay Packers legend Clay Matthews just took to the stage and told the crowd at the draft: “I just got off the phone with the President, Donald Trump. He asked me to pass a message along to all 32 NFL franchises…My fellow Americans: The Bears still suck!”
It’s unclear whether Matthews was joking; a White House spokesperson didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment from NBC News. But Trump is a longtime sports fan who has been fiercely critical in recent months of the NFL’s new kickoff rules.
You may notice a lot of bicycles at this year’s NFL draft.
That’s because the NFL has adopted a Packers tradition for this year’s draft in Green Bay. Every year, Packers players ride children’s bikes to training camp. So the league had one made for every team this year, and that’s why you saw Roger Goodell on one tonight.
Hopefully we’ll see some of the draftees take them for a spin also.
And the Tennessee Titans are on the clock with the first overall pick. Here we go!
Panthers fans have probably seen Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker paired with their team at the eighth overall pick in every mock draft. This has become chalk for a reason, but even with the money they spent on defensive tackles in free agency, it will be interesting if Michigan DT Mason Graham slides and changes their plans.
Ward to the Titans has been the chalk pick for weeks now, but after that, there’s serious uncertainty as to what other quarterbacks might go in the first round.
That’s because teams and analysts are universally not as high on this crop of quarterbacks than they were last year, when six quarterbacks flew off the board in the first round (tying the NFL record). NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, a former pro scout, told reporters his grade for Ward is similar to the one he gave Bo Nix last year, but his grade for Sanders falls behind the six 2024 first-round quarterbacks.
Shedeur Sanders and Jaxson Dart are seen as possibilities to hear their name called tonight, but that would be more of a testament to the dire needs teams like the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and New Orleans Saints have at the position.
Read more below about the state of the quarterback class heading into draft night.
NBC Sports’ Chris Simms reveals his rankings for the top QBs in the 2025 NFL Draft class and breaks them into different tiers, from Cam Ward to Shedeur Sanders and more.
As the 49ers look to restock their roster after plenty of turnover, their premium first-round asset will most likely be used on the defensive side of the ball. San Francisco needs help on the offensive line, but the belief is they can draft and develop in that area on days two and three of the draft (it worked quite well with Dominick Puni last year). With Robert Saleh back with the organization, he’ll always pound the table for pass rushers.
Everyone is waiting for a big trade to spice up this draft, but the question is consistently who is coming up for what? Assuming the first three players off the board are Miami QB Cam Ward, Colorado WR/DB Travis Hunter, and Penn State Edge Abdul Carter, the question becomes how far would a team move up for Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty?
Yes, he’s a running back, but he’s a special talent in a class lacking game changers. New England would certainly let a team into this spot if the offer was right, but that would cost a lot. Jeanty could go as early as fifth overall (Jaguars) with a potential floor of 10th overall (Bears). It wouldn’t be shocking to see a team come up to grab him in between that range of picks.
Teams get 10 minutes to pick during the first round of the draft. But it begs the question: What happens if a team doesn’t pick in time?
The next team has a chance to jump ahead in line.
It’s happened multiple times — most recently in 2011 (the Baltimore Ravens) and 2003 (the Vikings). Both were reportedly the fault of issues trying to trade the pick and led to other teams jumping ahead of the Ravens and Vikings. The Ravens ultimately picked cornerback Jimmy Smith after one team jumped ahead of them, while the Vikings selected defensive tackle Kevin Williams after two teams skipped them.
Mike Florio and Chris Simms debate how long it will take for six quarterbacks to be selected in the 2025 NFL draft, after six signal callers were taken in the first 12 picks of last year’s draft.
Todd McShay, the veteran draft analyst who now works for The Ringer, is resolute that quarterback Shedeur Sanders is “not in play at three.”
“They’re not taking Shedeur Sanders there, they are not taking Shedeur Sanders at 34, is my understanding,” he said on his pre-draft YouTube show, in reference to the team’s second-round pick at 34th overall.
He added that the team is making “aggressive” calls to move into the later portion of the first round, on top of their third overall pick, possibly to pick quarterback Jaxson Dart from Ole Miss.
And noting that the New Orleans Saints are seen to be eying a similar trade, he said tonight could be a “blind game of chicken” between at least these two teams.
Can you decipher what Carroll means here?
Commanders general manager Adam Peters says he’s open for business on trades, including with the three other teams in the NFC East.
Despite a perception in some circles that a trade with a division rival is risky because it can give an opponent a player who might beat you in the future, Peters said he’s be willing to trade with the Eagles, Cowboys or Giants because he approaches any trade by looking at whether it benefits the Commanders. What the other team might do with a draft pick the Commanders send them isn’t Peters’ concern.
“I don’t personally believe in being scared about trading with a team within the division,” Peters said. “If you think the trade’s a good value for you . . . then definitely consider it.”
Betting lines have consistently had the quarterbacks taken in the first round set at 2.5. Unless there are multiple trade ups back into the end of round one, I don’t expect the over to hit on this number. This class is viewed as Cam Ward and then a lot of Day 2 talents.
Hunter made history at the University of Colorado last season not just for his unicorn role — starting at both cornerback and wide receiver — but for his prolific success doing so. And he has the hardware to show it, having won the prestigious Heisman Trophy, as well as awards for most outstanding receiver and defensive player of the year.
Expected to be one of the first names called by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Hunter has been at the center of a massive debate among football insiders and draft obsessives about how teams should best use his incredible talents while also protecting their significant investment.
To Hunter, the answer is clear, one he has repeated for months whenever he’s asked what position he’ll play in the NFL: “I do both.”
There’s no doubt that evaluators aren’t as high on parts of this draft class, particularly the quarterback class. One reason why might be the NIL landscape in college football.
Now, leaving for the NFL isn’t the only way to guarantee a multi-million dollar deal (we got reminded of this amid the kerfuffle around former Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava’s ultimate transfer to UCLA). For players debating whether to stick around for one more year of seasoning in college, getting that financial security could be a good tipping point.
It’s a dynamic NFL Network lead draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah says has had a “big impact” across multiple positions.
“I think in years past the easiest sell for an agent was to a running back, even if he had middling production, which was to say, Hey, you’ve got to start getting paid for these carries you have in your body as soon as possible,” he told reporters last week.
“Now those kids are getting paid either by their school or somebody else. …It’s kept a lot of those kids in school.”
Let’s talk about the draft slots that teams could get back into at the end of Round 1. The Commanders are without both their third- and fifth-round picks in this draft. I don’t think there is a glaring difference of talent if they moved out of No. 29 to pick twice in Round 2.
After their first-round selection at No. 24, the Vikings don’t pick again until the 97th selection (they also don’t have a fourth-round pick). Plus, I’d never rule out Baltimore or Philadelphia moving out with the way they value picks. However, both of those franchises have a lot of assets this year and I think Baltimore is watching closely if one of the pure pass rushers makes it to their slot.
Pro Football Focus dives into Penn State tight end Tyler Warren’s terrific 2024-25 season, where he was the “engine” of the Nittany Lions’ offense.
Here’s what the top prospects are eating tonight.
I don’t sense a fall coming for wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, which would mean logic prevailed. His size and ball skills as a perimeter threat in a wide receiver class lacking true difference makers will be valued. Even if he fell out of the top 12 picks, Seattle at No. 18 seems like his floor.
Texas A&M defensive end Shemar Stewart is 6-foot-5 and 267 pounds. He ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in February in 4.59 seconds to go along with a 40-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot, 11-inch broad jump.
But he also had just 4.5 sacks in 37 career games for the Aggies.
It’s a glaring stat to consider when a major part of a defensive end’s job is to get to the quarterback — Penn State edge Abdul Carter, a consensus top-five pick, had 12 sacks last year alone.
And it’s why NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah calls Stewart, a projected first-round pick in Thursday’s draft, “easily the most polarizing edge rusher.”
It’s not just that Ward began his college career at a lower rung — it’s that he barely had the chance to play college football at all. It’s why many close to Ward believe the biggest question about him was never about his talent, but whether any college program would take the risk to recognize it.
“I’ve had numerous coaches tell me how much they loved him, and they just couldn’t take a chance,” said Eric Morris, who offered Ward his first and only college scholarship when he was the head coach at the University of the Incarnate Word, a private Catholic school in Texas. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah — whatever. Of course you do now that he’s had all that success.’”
The NFL had a bit of a running back renaissance last year with backs like Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry finding success with new teams, and young backs like Bijan Robinson, Jahmyr Gibbs and Kyren Williams shining in the first few years of their career.
And while NFL offenses are still flying high (18 quarterbacks threw for 3,500 yards last season, the most since 2021), teams looking to shore up their running game will have a lot to work with in this year’s draft class.
Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is a stud, with some experts projecting him going as high as the fifth overall pick. North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, as well as Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson rounding out a strong top-five in this class.
But there’s a ton of depth to be had too: The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has 16 running backs with fourth-round grades or higher; NFL.com has seven running backs a grade above 6.2 (which translates to “will eventually become an average starter) and another eight backs in the “good backup with the potential to develop into starter” tier; and while Jeanty and Hampton are the only ones who are regularly discussed in first-round mocks, Henderson and Judkins have made some appearances there too.
While Miami’s Cam Ward, a Heisman Trophy finalist, is the overwhelming favorite to go first overall to the Tennessee Titans, the outlook for the rest of the quarterbacks appears muddy. That’s in no small part because quarterback-needy teams spoke with their wallets this offseason, doling out deals to journeymen and late-career veterans instead of creating a drumbeat around drafting a quarterback of the future.
“If you’re a team in need of a quarterback and Cam Ward is the best quarterback on your board, you have to take him whenever you’re picking,” Bucky Brooks, a former player and pro scout-turned-NFL Network analyst, said on the “Move the Sticks” podcast this week. “But in terms of how these guys stack up … I don’t believe anyone in this class is a transcendent quarterback.”
From 2000 to 2015, 15 quarterbacks drafted in the first round became franchise fixtures, starting at least 100 games in their careers. Yet in the same span, just as many first-rounders played fewer than 60 games. As recently as 2023, when four quarterbacks were taken in the first round, one (Houston’s C.J. Stroud) has become a bona fide starter, while three others have struggled to establish themselves.
Some teams lean more heavily on impressions from scouts, while others are driven by analytics departments. Teams can fall into the trap of overanalyzing a player’s performance during the pre-draft process from January to April more than their on-field production. NBC’s Chris Simms believes an overreliance on analytics “has actually confused people more.”
“The great ones have great talent, and they have a charisma about them in the locker room,” Simms said. “We’re talking [John] Elway, [Dan] Marino, Peyton Manning, of course, Tom Brady, [Aaron] Rodgers, to where they can talk to anybody in the locker room and get them to follow and get the energy up on a daily basis in the locker room. And that’s what the great ones have. And I think sometimes that gets lost in translation a little bit with all our other analytical tools we’re talking about.”
It appears not.
NBC Sports’ Kyle Dvorchak, ESPN, The Ringer, Sharp Football Analysis and Yahoo Sports all feature mock drafts with the same player going first overall to the Tennessee Titans: Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward.
While the Titans haven’t confirmed who they’re taking, they have confirmed they’ve made a decision, with Tennessee general manager Mike Borgonzi saying Tuesday the team’s front office had “come to a consensus.”
While Ward was sensational in his lone year with the Hurricanes, his path to being the (potential) No. 1 overall pick was equally unique and unlikely, as NBC News’ Andrew Greif reported this week.
There has been a lot of buzz about the Jets potentially picking a defensive player in the top 10, but that would still surprise me. The offense has multiple glaring holes, notably right tackle and a No. 2 pass catcher. I would have Penn State tight end Tyler Warren as the favorite to go in this slot. It seems like a coin flip (at best) if Armand Membou makes it here and the previously mentioned Kelvin Banks’ range begins at this pick.
Perhaps the most difficult part of the draft to anticipate is which teams will trade up or down. Is there a prospect someone has fallen in love with and has to go get? Is there a team with too many needs that has to amass picks?
The Browns, for example, have been long connected to Hunter with the second pick, but may also be a trade candidate.
One player who could cause movement alone is Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who is mocked by many to go early in the first round, but anywhere from five to 10.
Which teams will be aggressive? We’re close to finding out all the answers.
Mike Florio and Chris Simms shed light on why they believe the Steelers will “stay true to their board” during the NFL draft and recall what happened with Kenny Pickett.
Sanders is sure to draw a lot of intrigue and interest wherever he lands. Though he’s seemingly not a sure bet to go in the first round, there is one popular destination for the son of Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders: the Pittsburgh Steelers.
ESPN and Sharp Football both have the Steelers selecting Sanders with the 21st pick in the first round, though Dvorchak, The Ringer and Yahoo disagree. (Yahoo’s Charles McDonald and Nate Tice notably have Pittsburgh taking Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.)
The lack of clarity on Sanders is instructive of this draft as a whole. Outside of Ward, there doesn’t seem to be a quarterback that everyone can agree on.
At the same time, teams often get desperate when it comes to finding a player at the sport’s most important position. That means whether it’s Sanders, Milroe or someone else, one organization could be taking a massive swing whenever the second quarterback of the draft is ultimately selected.
Players hoping to hear their name called during the NFL draft understand that a successful fall season is a necessary component. But once the college season ends, another begins: draft season, where running a fast 40-yard dash or nailing an interview with a team at February’s combine can be just as valuable.
Inside the NFL, there is a belief that even though that evaluation process is exhaustive, it’s not perfect. Scott Pioli, an NFL Network analyst and former general manager in Kansas City, said that “we measure and evaluate certain things that aren’t always the right things or the relevant things.”
One longtime NFL executive, who has been involved in player scouting and spoke on the condition of anonymity, agreed with Pioli’s assessment.
“A bad interview of one player will carry weight all the way through the draft,” said the executive.
“Well, anybody can struggle in 15 minutes with people they don’t know. Instead of evaluating the true nature of what makes guys successful — and it’s their grittiness and their toughness and their passion and their competitiveness and how they approach the game mentally — that gets lost a little bit in some of the other stuff all spring.”
The decision to pick Ward with the first pick would likely spell the end for Will Levis, the former second-round pick whose mercurial career hasn’t lived up to expectations.
Once seen as a possible lottery pick, Levis slid into the top of the second round during the 2023 draft. But the Titans traded up to get him, and they were hoping the big-armed former Kentucky Wildcat could solve their issues at the position.
Levis has been injury-plagued in his first two years in the league, showing signs of the strong-armed and deceptively mobile player he was in college, but also struggling mightily with turnovers and accuracy.
It’s unclear whether the Titans plan to trade him, and it’s possible he could benefit from a change of scenery and a step out of the spotlight that comes with being a starting NFL quarterback. But you don’t draft a quarterback first overall without a commitment to making him your franchise quarterback.
And that leaves Levis as the odd man out.
The NFL originally announced 17 prospects would attend the draft in Green Bay. A day later came a report that Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston also would join them.
The final total is 15 prospects on-site.
It previously was reported that Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart and Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams had decided against going. Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons also didn’t end up taking the trip to Wisconsin.
New York seems to be in a bit of a swing position with the third pick of the first round. There’s an overwhelming likelihood Ward and Colorado star Travis Hunter will go with the first two picks.
The Giants, meanwhile, have been a rumored spot for Hunter’s collegiate teammate Shedeur Sanders, who told NBC News earlier this month that no quarterback would be better prepared to handle the New York spotlight than him.
But the Sanders-Giants hype may be more wishful thinking than anything else.
Dvorchak, ESPN, The Ringer, Sharp Football and Yahoo all have New York taking Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter third overall. While the Giants need help all over the roster, New York deciding to forego a quarterback could speak to the lack of faith in passing prospects in this year’s class.
New York is seemingly set at the QB position in the short term after signing Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson this offseason. But as the saying goes, if you have two quarterbacks, then you have none.
Brad Thomas and Vaughn Dalzell break down the Chicago Bears’ first round pick and identify which positions the team should look into to help Caleb Williams, including the tight end market.
The 2024 NFL draft saw a run on quarterbacks during the first round. That isn’t expected to be the case in 2025, in what could be one of the position’s lightest draft classes.
The number of quarterbacks drafted in the first round, since 2000:
2000: 1
2001: 2
2002: 3
2003: 4
2004: 4
2005: 3
2006: 3
2007: 2
2008: 2
2009: 3
2010: 2
2011: 4
2012: 4
2013: 1
2014: 3
2015: 2
2016: 3
2017: 3
2018: 5
2019: 3
2020: 4
2021: 5
2022: 1
2023: 3
2024: 6
For most of the 2024 college football season, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the betting favorite to be the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Now it appears he could fall all the way to the Steelers at No. 21. Or perhaps even further than that.
The Steelers are now the favorites to draft Sanders at DraftKings, FanDuel and other sports books. And they might not have to trade up to get him, as Sanders is now a +320 underdog to go in the Top 10.
Could Sanders fall even further than No. 21? It’s possible, if the Steelers aren’t high on him. In fact, there’s an increasing number of bets on Sanders falling all the way out of the first round: At ESPN Bet, Sanders’ odds of going in the second round moved to -120 this morning.
Former UNC running back Omarion Hampton joins Chris Simms and Ahmed Fareed to shed light on his draft preparations, what NFL teams like about his game, and how former Tar Heels have acted as mentors for him.
