The story of the 2025 NFL Draft has to do with a player who hasn’t even heard his name called yet. Former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, was expected to be a first-round pick, but instead went unselected in the first three rounds of the draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers passed on him multiple times, while the New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns all selected different quarterbacks. Every player will be given the opportunity to compete whether they are a first-round pick or seventh-round pick, but their paychecks will be very different. For example, No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward is expected to sign a deal projected to be worth $48,757,500, according to Spotrac, while Tyler Shough, who was drafted 40th overall, is expected to make $10,793,226 in his rookie contract.
Given the new world of NIL and who his father is, Sanders likely isn’t hurting for money. But how much money is he actually missing out on with this slide? Let’s take a look at what Spotrac’s projections say, using the Steelers at No. 21 overall as a baseline — since they were considered a landing spot for the young quarterback. Keep in mind these numbers are not exact, but they should be close to accurate.
| Landing spot | Total value of projected contract |
|---|---|
No. 21 Pittsburgh Steelers | $17,948,806 |
No. 102 (Minnesota Vikings) | $6,131,004 |
Sanders missed out on approximately $11,817,802 by falling out of the third round compared to if he were selected at No. 21 overall.
As Sanders continued falling down the draft board Friday, he took to social media to praise God in what has to be one of the most confusing times in his life.
The NFL Draft continues Saturday with Rounds 4-7, beginning at 12 p.m. ET.
Go to Source
Author: Jordan Dajani
April 25, 2025 | 11:55 pm
