NFL Draft Shocker: Shedeur Sanders Slides as Jalen Milroe and Dillon Gabriel Leap Ahead

Sarah Johnson
April 26, 2025
Brief
The NFL Draft saw a major shake-up as Shedeur Sanders fell in the rankings, with unexpected quarterback picks like Jalen Milroe and Dillon Gabriel grabbing headlines.
The NFL Draft just delivered a serious plot twist—one that even Shedeur Sanders probably didn’t see coming. Once pegged as a possible top-five overall pick, the Colorado quarterback is now watching not just the top five, but five other quarterbacks go ahead of him. That’s got to sting.
Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart both heard their names in the first round, while Tyler Shough found a home with the New Orleans Saints at pick 40. But the real jaw-dropper? The Seattle Seahawks used the 92nd pick on Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, a move that left analysts and fans blinking in disbelief.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Cleveland Browns—who had plenty of chances to scoop up Sanders—chose Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel just three picks later. I mean, talk about a plot twist worthy of a daytime soap.
Seattle, having shipped off Geno Smith to the Raiders and locked in Sam Darnold on a three-year, $100 million deal (yes, you read that right), is clearly betting on potential. Milroe might not be known for his arm, but scouts rave about his raw athleticism. He’s racked up 5,678 passing yards and 1,257 rushing yards in his last two years at Alabama, leading his team to the Rose Bowl after snagging the SEC championship—though Michigan stopped their run cold.
Meanwhile, Dillon Gabriel made the most of his transfer to Oregon, guiding the Ducks to a No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. They fell to Ohio State, who later claimed the national title, but Gabriel still finished third in Heisman voting and topped the Big Ten in completions and attempts. His 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns this season definitely didn’t go unnoticed.
That brings us back to Sanders, who told reporters after round one that he "didn’t expect" to slip into the second night of the draft. With five QBs now off the board ahead of him, you have to wonder what’s running through his mind—and how many times he’s refreshed his phone.
And just for good measure, Quinn Ewers is still waiting to hear his name. If he keeps waiting, this draft will turn into a Netflix miniseries.
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Editor's Comments
If you told me last year that Shedeur Sanders would be sitting behind not one, not two, but five quarterbacks in the draft queue, I’d have asked what alternate universe you were living in. Milroe's leapfrog feels like when someone cuts in line at Starbucks, and everyone just lets it happen. Somewhere, Deion Sanders is probably practicing his motivational speech in the mirror, and I’d love to be a fly on that wall.
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