Shedeur Shanders is expected by many to be the No. 1 overall pick in this spring’s NFL Draft, but according to an one insider, not all 32 teams view him as that sort of franchise talent.
Sanders is in play to be drafted at or near the top of the draft following a collegiate career that saw him toss 14,119 yards and 132 touchdowns between Jackson State and Colorado.
But according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, there are some within the league who ‘don’t have anything close to a first-round grade’ on the quarterback.
Pelissero, speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, said that Sanders – son of former NFL star and Colorado coach Deion – would be a ‘fascinating overall evaluation’ ahead of the draft.
‘He certainly has fans and he comes in with a high profile, but he idea that he’s just going to walk in and going to be the No. 1 pick, that’s probably pushing it. … If I were guessing who comes off the board first, I’d say Shedeur is not the first Colorado player off the board as it stands today,’ he added, via the New York Post.
Instead, Pelissero believes that distinction will go to Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who starred as Sanders’ top target at wide receiver while also playing cornerback on defense.
Shedeur Sanders is apparently not viewed by everyone as a first-round talent in the NFL Draft
His teammate, Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, could go No. 1 overall over him
Shedeur threw two interceptions in Colorado’s Alamo Bowl loss to BYU last week
‘Travis Hunter may be a generational type of player,’ Pelissero said. ‘Somebody may well fall in love with Shedeur Sanders and he could go No. 1 overall. I would just say, in my conversations, there is healthy skepticism among people in the league that, when it comes to the end of the process, and they get to that last week of April, somebody is going to jump out there and use a really high pick on making him a franchise QB.’
Whether Hunter, Sanders or Miami quarterback Cam Ward goes No. 1 overall could depend on how the final draft order shakes out.
Read More NFL fans left stunned by bizarre New England Patriots decision 
The quarterback-needy Giants were set to draft at the No. 1 spot before beating the Colts last weekend, with the Patriots now No. 1 according to Tankathon.
Such a scenario could see Hunter go first, as the Patriots selected pᴀsser Drake Maye No. 3 overall just last year.
Maye has shown promise in his rookie season, tossing 189.7 yards per game and 15 touchdowns (against 11 picks) across 11 starts.
Sanders, meanwhile, completed an impressive 74 percent of his pᴀsses this season to go along with 4,134 pᴀssing yards and 37 touchdowns through the air.
However, his college career did not end on a high as he threw two interceptions (and two touchdowns) in a 36-14 loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl.
