{"id":9444,"date":"2025-04-22T12:10:03","date_gmt":"2025-04-22T12:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/?p=9444"},"modified":"2025-04-22T21:21:58","modified_gmt":"2025-04-22T21:21:58","slug":"steelers-foolish-draft-shedeur-sanders-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.365scores.com\/news\/steelers-foolish-draft-shedeur-sanders-21","title":{"rendered":"Why the Pittsburgh Steelers Would Be Foolish to Draft Shedeur Sanders at No. 21 in the 2025 NFL Draft"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The 2025 NFL<\/a> Draft starts Thursday night, and it\u2019s a class getting acceptable hype for its defensive line\/edge prospects<\/a> and for Travis Hunter, the most interesting player<\/a> in the draft. Where it\u2019s not doing so well is with the quarterbacks<\/a>, as Colorado\u2019s Shedeur Sanders continues to see his stock fall, and no one seems to agree where Jaxson Dart<\/a> should go, outside of maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2025 quarterback class is not going to be anything like last year when a record six quarterbacks were drafted in the first 12 picks<\/a>, and Jayden Daniels (No. 2 pick) had arguably the best rookie quarterback season in NFL history for Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"TAMPA,
(Photo by Kevin Sabitus\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In fact, a \u201cweaker\u201d quarterback class one year after a historically deep one is just classic regression to the mean that we\u2019ve seen before if you study 1983-84, 2004-05, 2018-19, and 2020-21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That does not mean the 2025 draft has nothing to offer in the way of quarterbacks, as Miami\u2019s Cam Ward is almost a sure thing to go No. 1 to the Titans. It\u2019s not like he\u2019s a generational talent such as Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck, but he\u2019s arguably a better lead-off QB1 for a draft class than Jameis Winston (2015), Mitch Trubisky (2017), and Kenny Pickett (2022) were in the last decade, and he\u2019s at least comparable to Jared Goff (2016), Kyler Murray (2019), and Bryce Young (2023).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But things get problematic at quarterback in 2025 when you talk about what will happen after Ward goes No. 1 overall this Thursday night.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We see the mock drafts and the draft odds at top-rated sportsbooks. Players like Travis Hunter, Abdul Carter, Will Campbell, Mason Graham, and Ashton Jeanty are likely going to be gone with those next picks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a normal draft with great quarterback prospects, you\u2019d expect quarterback-needy teams like the Browns (No. 2 pick), Giants (No. 3), Raiders (No. 6), Jets (No. 7), and Saints (No. 9) to be all over Shedeur Sanders<\/a> and\/or Jaxson Dart in the top 10 picks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that\u2019s not the case right now. Sanders has seen his draft position fall to 8.5 with a heavy favorite (-400 odds at Bet365) towards the over, meaning he\u2019ll go no earlier than the Saints at No. 9. In fact, that\u2019s looking more likely after the surprising NFL news<\/a> that Derek Carr\u2019s shoulder may jeopardize his 2025 availability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if all those teams in the top nine picks pass on Sanders, too, then he might experience a 2005 Aaron Rodgers-type of draft night in the green room with the camera on him and his famous dad for a few hours. Other than the Colts (No. 14), Cardinals (No. 16), or Seahawks (No. 18) doing something shocking, there may not be another team ready to take Sanders until the Pittsburgh Steelers<\/a> at No. 21.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"CHICAGO,
(Photo by Robin Alam\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

In this scenario, Jaxson Dart\u2019s fate looks even bleaker as the consensus No. 3 quarterback in this draft. If Sanders went to Pittsburgh at No. 21, Dart isn\u2019t going to the Chargers (No. 22), Packers (No. 23), Vikings (No. 24), or Texans (No. 25). The Rams (No. 26) could give him a shot because of Matthew Stafford\u2019s age, but he\u2019s not going to the rest of the first round (Ravens, Lions, Commanders, Bills, Chiefs, and Eagles).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe at the top of the second round, the Browns (No. 33) or Giants (No. 34) can take a quarterback they passed on at No. 2 and No. 3. Maybe someone trades up to get Dart late in the first round to secure that valuable fifth-year option for his rookie deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But let\u2019s back up for a second, as Dart isn\u2019t the story here. The real story is if Sanders gets past the Saints at No. 9 and the Steelers are his next best suitor at No. 21<\/strong>. Some have been hyping this up more and more in the last few days, especially in the last 24 hours:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now I'm hearing Shedeur Sanders well might fall all the way to the Steelers at 21, and I have no idea if they like him or not. ALL I KNOW FOR SURE IS: IF SHEDEUR FALLS OUT OF THE TOP 3, SOMEBODY IS GOING TO GET AN ALL-TIME STEAL OF A FRANCHISE QB. REMEMBER I SAID THIS.<\/p>— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) April 22, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>