If you’re betting everything on who will be the Denver Broncos’ quarterback of the future, you should reconsider your strategy.
According to WalterFootball.com, the Broncos will fall flat in 2024 before climbing to the first overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, where they are expected to draft Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
It would be a startling turn of events, but not impossible.
The Broncos selected Oregon quarterback Bo Nix at No. 12 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, but FanDuel has Denver’s over/under total for 2024 set at 5.5 wins, the second-lowest in the NFL behind only the New England Patriots (4.5 wins).
According to WalterFootball.com, “The Broncos drafted Bo Nix, but if they are so bad in 2024 that they land the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, they will almost certainly repeat what the Cardinals did when they gave up on Josh Rosen after one year and drafted Kyler Murray.” Shedeur Sanders possesses a strong football IQ and excellent leadership abilities. He doesn’t have the best arm, but it’s good enough to be a top-five pick.”
Sanders Would Have to Play Way Into the No. 1 Pick.
Colorado’s 4-8 record in 2023 did not reflect Sanders’ performance, as he threw for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions in 11 games while being sacked 52 times. According to StatMuse, that would have ranked him third in the NFL for sacks taken in 2023 while playing a 17-game schedule.
While Sanders was likely one of the top picks in the 2024 NFL draft, he will need to have a standout season to become the No. 1 overall pick in 2025.
He will have two elements moving in his favour that could make this happen.
First, Colorado’s offensive line received a significant lift when it signed IMG (Florida) Academy offensive lineman Jordan Seaton, a 6-foot-5, 290-pound five-star recruit and the No. 1 offensive tackle in the Class of 2024. Seaton will most likely begin immediately, shielding Sanders’ blindside.
Second, Colorado’s wide receivers are completely stocked. They retain All-American cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter (721 receiving yards) and Jimmy Horn (567 receiving yards, 6 touchdowns).
Through the transfer portal, the Buffs added Florida Atlantic transfer LaJohntay Wester, who was an AP All-American in 2023 with 108 receptions, 1,168 receiving yards, and 8 touchdowns, as well as All-AAC and AAC Special Teams Player of the Year. They also add Vanderbilt wide receiver Will Sheppard, who was an All-SEC pick in 2022.
QB record run in ’24 won’t be repeated in ’25.
The record-tying streak of quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft is unlikely to be replicated in 2025, after six quarterbacks were chosen in the first 12 picks in 2024.
In 2025, three quarterbacks appear to have first-round potential: Georgia’s Carson Beck, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, and Sanders.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid ranks those three as the top three quarterback prospects for the 2025 NFL draft.
“A calm distributor when protected, Sanders’ game centres around accuracy and ball placement,” said Reid. “He completed 69.3% of his passes last season, placing sixth in the FBS. He exudes confidence and isn’t hesitant to push himself as a thrower. He has the arm strength to drive throws over the centre of the field and deliver the ball accurately to targets outside the hashes.
“After dominating at Jackson State in the FCS in 2021 and 2022, Sanders moved up to the FBS level and had immediate success, finishing with 3,230 passing yards, 27 touchdown passes and three interceptions.”
Leave a Reply