After Cam Ward was selected first overall, a second quarterback finally came off the board 24 picks later in the 2025 NFL Draft, but it was not Shedeur Sanders.
The New York Giants traded back into the first round having selected Abdul Carter with the third overall pick. However, instead of taking the bet on one of the most polarising players in the draft in Sanders, they instead hitched their wagon to Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart as their quarterback of the future.
The Giants dealt the 34th overall pick in the second round, the 99th overall pick in the third round and a 2026 third-round pick to the Houston Texans to move up to the 25th overall pick and select Dart.
New York signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston as stop-gap options this offseason, but the torch will eventually be passed to Dart after he thrust himself into the first-round conversation with an impressive final season at Ole Miss.
Dart led the SEC in completion percentage (69.3) and passing yards 4,279 last year, throwing for 29 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He led the FBS in yards per attempt (10.8) and passer rating (180.7) while also displaying an ability to make an impact with his legs.
Throwing DARTS pic.twitter.com/zvFA14niWQ
— New York Giants (@Giants) April 25, 2025
The fact the Giants were willing to trade up for him is not just a reflection of how New York feels about Dart, but also a league-wide view of Sanders that is clearly not as strong as the Colorado star would have hoped.
There had been thought that Sanders could go as high as the ninth overall pick to the New Orleans Saints. However, both New Orleans and the Pittsburgh Steelers, picking 21st overall, passed on the chance to select the man who helped transform Colorado at the end of a stellar college career.
After following his Hall of Fame father Deion Sanders from Jackson State to Colorado, Sanders played a key role in turning the Buffaloes from a laughing stock into a 9-4 team in 2024, when he led the FBS with a completion percentage of 74.
But Sanders has received criticism for his play style, specifically for a tendency to hold the ball too long and fall in love with trying to find the big play. On top of that, plenty have questioned how willing teams would be to put up with the extra distractions that could come with having Deion Sanders’ son under center.
So far, no team has been willing to take the risk, meaning it is increasingly likely Sanders will have to wait until Friday night to hear his name called.
