It is a foregone conclusion Cam Ward will be the first quarterback taken, and most likely it will be with the first pick to the Tennessee Titans.
What happens after that is anyone's guess, but there is a growing consensus the next quarterback might not be Colorado's Shedeur Sanders.
The Cleveland Browns have been starving for a quarterback since they were reborn in 1999. From Tim Couch on down, no one has materialized into a quality starter.
Don't look for it to be Sanders. If the Browns were smart, they would take Abdul Carter and pair him with Myles Garrett and have a ferocious defensive line.
The New York Giants signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, so they do not need to reach for a quarterback at three. They can wait for a Jaxson Dart or Tyler Shough or even Kyle McCord in the later rounds. My money is on the Giants selecting Travis Hunter and having him line up opposite Malik Nabers at wide receiver.
Hunter can also play in a nickel or dime package on defense and roam the backfield.
According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Sanders could slip down the first round, and possibly into the second.
"The people I have talked to believe that Shedeur Sanders is under consideration in that top three. You're talking Browns at two, Giants at three, although Abdul Carter the pass rusher, seems to have momentum a little bit for the Browns at two," Fowler said.
Related: 2025 NFL Mock Draft: Browns, Steelers Start Over at QB, Shedeur Sanders Falls Out of 1st Round
There is momentum, but it will die down after his Pro Day on April 4 when they see he is more pedestrian than superstar. He is a good athlete like his father, but he is not a top three pick. Fowler tends to agree as do several NFL scouts,
"Here's the tricky part with Sanders. Before I walked in here, I texted with a half-dozen or so high-level personnel people with teams. I asked them a simple question: 'Do you have a first-round grade on Shedeur Sanders, meaning do you see him as a first-round talent?' Four said no, more of a second-rounder. Two said yes, that he is a mid-to-late first-round pick for them," Fowler said.
That's a wide range. Which means a big risk. And one I say isn't worth taking too early.
Related: David Tyree Urges Giants to Skip Shedeur Sanders, Go Veteran
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This story was originally published March 29, 2025 at 2:47 PM.
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