• Loading stock data...
Sunday, June 22, 2025

Shedeur Sanders Headlines Top QBs Taking Different Paths to NFL Draft

There’s no guarantee that a quarterback will be taken with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, and Shedeur Sanders knows his father’s fame might turn some teams away.

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

INDIANAPOLIS — Top quarterback prospects Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward won’t throw at the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, but they did make their case for the individual professional potential as they met with the media Friday morning.

For Sanders, he knows he won’t be able to—and he’s not trying to—escape the spotlight that his father, Deion Sanders, brings. “There’s a lot of exterior things that people don’t like about me,” he said. “I’m realistic about my family and everything that people say it comes with.”

The Titans hold the No. 1 pick, and need a quarterback, but this year’s class of signal-callers isn’t rated as highly as previous ones. Sanders said his draft position won’t matter to him, citing Raiders minority owner Tom Brady (selected with pick No. 199 in the sixth round of the 2000 draft), who he has developed a close relationship with in recent years. 

“He was just telling me knowledge, and I filmed everything,” Sanders said of the time he spent with Brady. “I recorded everything. So, now even, sometimes I go back and just listen to the things that he said.” Las Vegas currently holds the No. 6 pick—and also needs a quarterback.

Similarly, Ward isn’t stressing about his draft position, either. “The only difference between the first-round and a seventh-round pick is the signing bonus,” he said.

Draft Day Decision

Sanders won’t attend the NFL Draft in Green Bay, so that he can spend the evening with loved ones—and save some cash. 

“It makes more sense for us to be at home, be with my family, be with everybody that supported me,” he said. “Cost-wise, it’s not going to make sense to fly everybody there—it’s going to be too much of a hassle.”

Ewers Content With Turning Down NIL

Quinn Ewers skipped his senior year of high school to capitalize on the beginning of the NIL (name, image, and likeness) era in college sports. But after four years in school, with one year of eligibility remaining to keep cashing in, he opted for an uncertain pro journey instead of one more payday.

“It was never a thought for me,” Ewers said when asked about transferring from Texas instead of entering the draft. Texas is moving forward with Arch Manning as its starting quarterback and reports linked Ewers to a potential $6 million NIL offer at another school. His draft stock fell during this past season. If he goes outside of the top 100 picks (roughly the first three rounds), his four-year rookie deal will be less than what he potentially could have made by transferring.

Turning down more guaranteed money is a different approach than Ewers took four years ago, when he decided to leave high school early to go to Ohio State in 2021, which was the year NIL was legalized.

“It was a weird dynamic, for sure,” he said. “The Texas legislature wasn’t going to allow high school football players to be paid, but I had a big opportunity in front of me to go make a good chunk of money. And I went about it like, ‘I don’t know what’s certain in the future, but I know what’s certain right now.’”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field

‘More Is More’: The Elite Luxury Jewelers Decking Out Athletes

Meet the elite group of luxury designers crafting the biggest statement pieces.

How Mark Walter’s Dodgers Playbook Could Rewrite Lakers’ Future

The owner’s tenure with the MLB club has been lined with success.

Hockey’s Best Player Enters Contract Year Noncommittal About Future

The superstar becomes a free agent next year absent a contract extension.

Featured Today

Mar 15, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) dribbles the ball upcourt against the North Texas Mean Green during the first half at Dickies Arena

NIL Is Shrinking the Pool of NBA Draft Entrants

Agents are now advising many players to stay in school.
Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.
June 15, 2025

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.
Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.
June 6, 2025

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.

Pac-12 Still Playing Conference Tetris As Realignment Heats Up

Sacramento State is leaving the Big Sky for the Big West.
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) celebrates after scoring a 3-pointer Tuesday, June 17, 2025, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Connecticut Sun at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Connecticut Sun, 88-71.
June 18, 2025

Caitlin Clark ‘Celebrates’ Chance at $500K Commissioner’s Cup Prize

The winning team shares a $500,000 prize pool.
June 19, 2025

Fire Rekindled? WNBA’s Portland Expansion Team Eyes Original Name

WNBA trademarks hint at Portland Fire revival as league expands and honors history.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
June 18, 2025

Dana White’s Next Frontier: Making Jiu-Jitsu Mainstream

The TKO Group Holdings–owned competition expands once again.
Club World Cup
June 18, 2025

Club World Cup Attendance Plummets for Weekday Games: 3,700 in Orlando, ‘Almost..

Chelsea’s manager bemoaned an “almost empty” stadium in Atlanta.
June 18, 2025

Premier League Embraces NFL-Style Flex Scheduling for 2025–26

The league warns of additional games “moving at relatively short notice.”
Sophie Cunningham
June 18, 2025

Fever and Sun Hit With Tiny Fines After Wild Melee

WNBA coaches have long complained about a lack of transparency in fines.