Shedeur Sanders‘ gorgeous fall down the draft board was rapidly attributed to a questionable talent set and/or a perceived lack of maturity. ESPN’s Stephen Holder points to one other concern amongst groups: the “circus” that might accompany a Sanders choice.
“Because the Shedeur Sanders saga performed out Friday, I used to be reminded of the times when Tim Tebow was a free agent and there have been claims his outward shows of religion have been being held towards him. What truly occurred was extra nuanced. Groups have been reluctant to signal him due to the circus associated to his superstar (on a degree just like Sanders IMO), esp as a possible backup. A few of that’s occurring right here. Thursday’s fall was largely about expertise. Final night time was about one thing else.
“Downside is, this problem turns into extra pronounced the additional he falls. Any staff that picks him at this level might be doing so with the intent of getting Sanders as a backup. That’s going to be an attention-grabbing state of affairs to need to handle.”
Holder is adamant that Sanders’ first-round snub was about expertise, however he believes his Day 2 absence was “about one thing else.” The reporter references Tim Tebow‘s free company, noting that groups have been cautious of the eye that naturally follows a “superstar” athlete. Sanders clearly isn’t a precise equal to Tebow, however the widespread Colorado star will now entice much more consideration after abruptly dropping out of the primary two days of the draft.
There’s been a well-liked sentiment that the reward now outweighs any threat, however that might probably solely apply to groups that don’t have a future reply at QB. In relation to groups that might solely think about Sanders as a backup, Holder warns that the considerations would solely develop into “extra pronounced.”
It’s nonetheless assumed that Sanders will hear his title known as sooner or later, however potential touchdown spots proceed to dry up. The Giants have been as soon as a key suitor for Sanders, however they clearly eliminated themselves from that sweepstakes once they traded again into the primary to pick Jaxson Dart. We later heard reports that a meeting between Sanders and Giants head coach Brian Daboll had not gone effectively, and the group’s curiosity within the prospect cooled because the teaching workers turned extra concerned within the analysis course of. Concerns about maturity appear to extend beyond the Giants.
The Browns have been additionally talked about as a Sanders suitor, however they used a third-round choice on Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel. The Saints also seemingly confirmed a report that they wouldn’t be pursuing the Colorado product, as New Orleans used a second-round decide on Louisville’s Tyler Shough.
There’s one clear QB-needy squad that would nonetheless choose Sanders. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Steelers stay an possibility for the prospect, because the group is assured Sanders might serve “as a distributing level guard in its offense.” Fowler provides that the Steelers have additionally executed intensive work on Ohio State’s Will Howard.
The Steelers are nonetheless awaiting a decision on Aaron Rodgers, however proprietor Artwork Rooney II stated that the veteran free agent needs to play in Pittsburgh. Even when a signing involves fruition, the Steelers would nonetheless be a pure touchdown spot for rookie QBs. The staff’s present QB depth consists of Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, so the entrance workplace may very well be searching for an improve for each now and the longer term.
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