Shedeur Sanders—the most ‘self-centered, all-about-me’ QB? That’s what critics said when he called out his O-line after a tough 28-10 loss to Nebraska, questioning, “How many times did Raiola get touched?” Doubts swirled about his leadership, maturity, and how it might impact him in draft interviews. Fast forward to 2025, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. With the No. 1 pick on the line, he and Cam Ward are in a high-pressure duel. But Shedeur? He’s not sweating it. One step at a time, one goal at a time. As he celebrates his birthday on February 7th, the real gifts he’s after are far bigger than cake and candles. Well, there’s more to Shedeur than meets the eye.

The comparison drama has no end, and for Shedeur Sanders, that’s the least that matters. While making an early birthday wish, he made sure his selfless side shone through. “My birthday wish? I need my Colorado players to get drafted,” he said, proving it’s not just about his future—he’s rooting for his teammates every step of the way. With the draft on the horizon, Sanders puts his team first, even as the spotlight heats up around him being the top NFL draft pick.

Shedeur Sanders isn’t losing sleep over being the top draft pick. The Buffs star QB1 focuses on landing with the right team. Because he knows his draft position isn’t what matters most—it’s about finding what’s best for him. “You could be in a way worse situation, so being No. 1, that doesn’t really matter to me at the end of the day. That doesn’t matter to me because, yeah, I could go No. 1, but it may not be a fit. Or I could go No. 2, and it would be a fit, or I could go No. 3, and it would be a fit. It’s all about fit,” he said.

Draft reports are pushing Shedeur Sanders down the rankings, and his arm strength is now a question mark next to Cam Ward’s. Despite putting up strong stats this season—a 74% pass completion rate—his draft stock is all over the place. CBS Sports has him going No. 6 to the Raiders in their mock draft, but some analysts are even bumping him outside the top 10 because of his physical frame. The latest buzz?

He reportedly has “less zip” on his passes, and that’s fueling a huge debate. “Shedeur Sanders is currently under fire right now among fans for having ‘less zip’ on his b—l than Cam Ward,” a report swirled. With every new opinion, the pressure builds, and the narrative keeps changing. Even tight bonds can be strained by constant comparisons like this, but Shedeur and Cam seem unfazed.

Shedeur Sanders’ bold take over his draft position

Well, it’s a never-ending debate of excellence. Many assume Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are shoo-ins for top NFL draft selections. Plus, several draft experts also consider them one of the top two quarterbacks in the draft class. The pressure’s on, and every move counts as these two battle it out for a future in the NFL. However, Shedeur is not the one who holds grudges or bad blood for his friend.

Talking about their relationship with ESPN, Shedeur Sanders says, “we close because of you, if we wasn’t that, you would definitely, the media would definitely a lot of stuff. We just say, even in the bottle, we genuinely like play around crazy. We definitely play around crazy. And relationship, you know, so we have a relationship, because a lot of people try to take things and put it out of context and anything, and it’s just like, this childish.” This year’s draft QB class is pretty weak, so nobody’s safe from criticism. But Shedeur in particular is facing a lot of heat ahead of his draft rankings.

A few days back, former Jets scout Daniel Kelly went on X discussing his performance—“As a former NFL scout, Shedeur Sanders is the most overrated player I’ve seen in the draft since Trey Lance. I put an undraftable free agent grade (UDFA) on Lance before the 49ers selected him.” Kelly draws a stressful comparison when looking at the pressures of the NFL Draft.

Now, quarterback Trey Lance, projected by 92.5% of draft platforms as a first-round talent, became the center of a bold move by the San Francisco 49ers. They traded three first-round picks and a third-round pick to move up from No. 12 to the No. 3 spot in the 2021 Draft, selecting Lance with high hopes. Fast forward to now, and Lance is a benchwarmer in Dallas. But let’s not forget that limited play and injuries led him to the Cowboys.

Now with the Giants and Titans already eyeing him, let’s see which NFL team becomes Shedeur’s perfect fit.