It is undeniable that quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders is the most polarizing figure in the 2025 NFL Draft. After playing for his father, the legendary Deion Sanders, who was his head coach at Jackson State and, more recently, Colorado, Shedeur has begun to make a name for himself.
However, it hasn’t been a smooth road to the draft, and the recent news that Sanders will not be a part of the NFL Draft festivities speaks to that struggle.
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QB Shedeur Sanders Skipping NFL Draft Invite
The NFL recently released its list of 17 players invited to attend this year’s draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin. By attending in person, players are able to shake hands with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on stage and take part in several media events. There is no set number of invitees, and green-room attendance is not mandatory.
When this year’s list was released, Sanders was noticeably absent, despite once being considered a potential No. 1 overall pick. It’s possible Sanders is avoiding the spotlight in case he slides out of the top 10, as many analysts now predict.
Sanders revealed on his podcast that he plans to host a private draft celebration with friends and family.
“We’ll most likely do Colorado or Dallas,” Shedeur said. “We didn’t decide fully yet. We plan on doing it, like, an event thing, and where it’ll be fun.”
Sanders also revealed why he’s opting to skip the NFL Draft green room and instead throw a party with his friends and family.
“The only thing with going to the draft is I want to spend those moments with my people,” Sanders said. “You got to think, having everybody come out there, bro, it’s going to be so expensive. So cost-wise, you’re saving a lot of money. You get to be around your people and all that.
“It’s not just me that was able to get to this point. It’s like a team. It was a team thing, and it was a team of people that helped me get to where I am now. So I want to be able to make sure I’m able to enjoy that with everybody and nobody be in uncomfortable situations for traveling and to show support.”
Earlier this offseason, Sanders and fellow quarterback Cam Ward were considered candidates to go No. 1 overall, but Ward now appears to have that spot locked up in most mock drafts.
In fact, Sanders has fallen to the end of the first round in some projections. Known for being honest and direct, Sanders has said the draft spot doesn’t really matter to him.
Most of the criticism of Sanders has to do with his average arm talent and concerns about his attitude or character (with words like “cocky” and “arrogant” sometimes getting thrown around).
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Despite his production, Sanders doesn’t display the elite physical tools that many NFL teams covet. He also skipped both the NFL Combine and the East-West Shrine Bowl. Though he was seen chatting with prospects on the sidelines, he chose not to participate.
Sanders also said he “offended” some front offices with his blunt personality and habit of interviewing teams as much as they interview him.
PFSN’s most recent mock draft has Sanders falling to No. 21 overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here’s what PFSN’s Owain Jones wrote about the projected pick: “If Shedeur Sanders tumbles in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers become a logical landing spot for the Colorado quarterback.
“While Aaron Rodgers has flirted with Pittsburgh, if he decides not to sign, the six-time Super Bowl champions will be left with Mason Rudolph as their starter under center. Sanders has the game management to control an NFL offense. He is accurate, gets the ball out quickly, and progresses through his reads with purpose.”
There are several quarterback-needy teams ahead of the Steelers, so it remains to be seen if Shedeur goes earlier (or if a team trades up to select him).
But by skipping the draft and celebrating with the people close to him, Sanders can avoid becoming the next Aaron Rodgers or Will Levis — two quarterbacks who slid further than expected while sitting in the green room.
