Why Shedeur Sanders is the 2025 NFL Draft’s top quarterback; plus, four ideal team fits

Former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks knows the ins and outs of this league, providing keen insight in his notebook. In today’s installment, he breaks down the strengths, weaknesses and ideal team fits for one of the hottest names in the 2025 NFL Draft.

After releasing the second version of my ranking of the top 2025 NFL Draft prospects by position, it became clear to me that I am one of the few scouts in the football world who views Shedeur Sanders as the No. 1 quarterback in the class.

It’s common for scouts to disagree on evaluations and projections. Why am I so high on the Colorado standout? After spending a few days with Sanders at Big 12 Pro Days this week, I thought I’d share my comprehensive scouting report on the draft’s most polarizing prospect:

STRENGTHS

Sanders is a classic dropback passer with plus arm talent and superb touch, timing and anticipation. He shows a level of precision reminiscent of Greg Maddux working the strike zone, squeezing anticipatory throws into tight windows on various in-breaking routes at intermediate range. As a “throw them open” passer with top-notch ball placement, Sanders plays with excellent efficiency and effectiveness from the pocket. He displays patience and poise and is able to take underneath throws against sagging defenses to keep his offense on schedule.

Sanders is not a checkdown specialist, but his willingness to take short and intermediate throws does force opponents to defend every blade of grass, from sideline to sideline and end line to end line. With most defenders unable to resist the temptation to jump underneath receivers, Sanders has routinely picked apart defenses on a barrage of crossing routes and digs behind linebackers and box-area safeties.

As a deep-ball passer, he prefers to launch “moon balls” early to enable his receivers to run under the tosses down the field. The timing of the launch allows him to push the ball vertically on anticipatory throws instead of trying to make hero tosses that rely solely on his arm strength. Considering his impressive completion rate (74 percent last season) and big-play production (8.7 yards per attempt), Sanders’ touch and timing approach serves him well as a rhythm passer.

After spending time at Colorado working under former NFL coach Pat Shurmur, Sanders understands pro schemes and displays the diagnostic skills of an NFL veteran. He should easily transition to the pro game, thanks to his extensive work with NFL concepts.

WEAKNESSES

Sanders lacks elite arm talent and athleticism. He will not overwhelm scouts with his physical tools or natural talents, despite his tremendous success as a collegian. Though plenty of quarterbacks have succeeded with B/B+-level arm strength, teams seeking a superhero at the position will need to look elsewhere for a dual-threat playmaker with the tools of Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.

As a passer, Sanders tends to take bad sacks when he attempts to chase big plays from the pocket. He drifts and fades away from pressure instead of standing firm and delivering darts under duress. While some of his sacks can be attributed to a leaky offensive line that occasionally wilted under pressure, Sanders’ big-play hunting resulted in negative plays, which are hard to overcome against elite defenses.

Sanders’ limited athleticism will make it challenging to incorporate new-school concepts (read-option and designed QB runs) into the game plan. He lacks the running skills and burst to punish defenses that respond to impromptu runs with over-aggressiveness. Although he will pick up an occasional first down on a scramble, the ultra-confident playmaker makes his living as a dart-thrower from the pocket.

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