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The 2025 NFL Draft is just over one month away. Now the pre-draft process is in full swing with many prospects preparing for their college pro days. One NFL analyst just made a bold prediction about the quarterbacks in this year's draft class.
ESPN's Mel Kiper prefers Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders over Miami's Cam Ward ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
“I’m going to go Shedeur Sanders,” Kiper said in a recent interview. “I’m going to be steadfast in that, I’ve had him #1, QB1 all along, really since last year. I love everything about the kid. Well you’re going to say he takes too many sacks. Yes he has to get the ball out faster but he dealt with NFL conditions. Who had to deal with what you’re going to deal with in the NFL, what you’re going to have to survive in the NFL. He survived hit after hit, how he did it I don’t know.”
Kiper believes that Sanders' ability inside the pocket could lead him to having a better career than Ward.
“When you look at Shedeur, accuracy, slip and slide in the pocket,” Kiper explained. “Yes he can get you a 3rd-and-8 first down. People say well he’s going to run the 4.8’s. Patrick Mahomes ran a 4.84. He doesn’t have an explosive arm, neither did Johnny Unitas, Peyton Manning. We talk about explosive arms, you don’t need to have that. Tom Brady is another one who didn’t have an explosive arm or explosive legs at 5.24 [40-yard dash]. You can win in the NFL, you can win big in the NFL going about your business like Shedeur Sanders does.”
Will Shedeur Sanders be selected before Cam Ward in 2025 NFL Draft?
Kiper may prefer Sanders over Ward, but does that mean he will be the first quarterback off the board in April?
Cam Ward has been the consensus QB1 pick in the media for months, due in large part to his higher upside.
It is hard to argue with parts of Kiper's analysis. After all, pocket passing is still incredibly important in the NFL. Even as mobile quarterbacks become more and more standard, they still need to function within the pocket to find success.
One question mark with Sanders is that he has rarely played NFL-caliber competition. He spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Jackson State before heading to Colorado. The same cannot be said of Ward, who has two seasons at Washington State and one season at Miami under his belt.
Ultimately, the first one off the board will be whichever tickles the fancy of the first QB-needy team in the draft. That could include the Titans at first overall.
