ESPN's Mike Greenberg: "It is inarguably one of the most surprising and shocking stories I can recall in all the years I've been following the draft."

Teams linked to Sanders including the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints passed on him in the late first and early second rounds, respectively, in favor of Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough. The Tennessee Titans also selected Cam Ward with the top overall pick.

The story of the 2025 NFL Draft has to do with a player who hasn't even heard his name called yet. Former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, was expected to be a first-round pick, but instead went unselected in the first three rounds of the draft.