The football offseason never fails to throw a wrench in every so-called “expert’s” mock drafts. Just when it felt like we had a grip on the quarterback landscape, things took a wild turn. And smack in the middle of all this madness? Shedeur Sanders—a QB who was once a no-brainer top-five pick but is now caught in a draft-day tug-of-war. See, a few months ago, Sanders had NFL scouts drooling over his aura, Deion Sanders-esque confidence, and pedigree. The man put up video game numbers, balled out under pressure, and showed he had that “franchise QB” aura. But fast forward to now, and his draft stock is in shambles after a $40 million move.

Former NFL safety and current analyst Louis Riddick hopped on The Rich Eisen Show on March 14 and got straight to the point about Sanders. “I view him as a franchise player. I view him as a franchise quarterback,” Riddick said. “It would be great, again, to follow the blueprint of drafting him, having the quarterback room set up to where he can kind of get his bearings, get settled in year one, and then take off in year two… Kid had no offensive line his first year. I did multiple games—he was getting his head beat in. They had no running game. He is deadly accurate, extremely smart… So yeah, I think he’s a franchise quarterback. That’s the long and short of it. But you know what? If he gets past Vegas at six, if he gets past the Jets at seven—who knows what happens after that? Who knows?”

Look, Riddick isn’t just throwing out fluff. Sanders is the real deal. He got sacked 95 times in two years at Colorado—let that sink in. Most QBs would fold under that kind of punishment, but not Shedeur. Even behind a turnstile of an O-line, he put up 3,230 yards, 27 TDs, and just three picks in 2023. And when Colorado finally gave him some protection in 2024? He torched defenses with 4,134 yards, 37 TDs, and 10 picks, leading the Buffs to a 9-4 record and an Alamo Bowl spot. That’s straight-up warrior mentality. But his draft stock ain’t exactly riding the same wave. It’s straight-up free-falling. And why? A mix of things: folks think he’s too cocky, got that ‘arrogant’ tag, Deion’s larger-than-life shadow ain’t helping, plus questions about how well he’ll transition and if his frame can take that NFL punishment.

But here’s where things get sticky. Shedeur Sanders is practically set to go top 10, with the New York Jets at number 7 looking like a real possibility. Especially since they just broke things off with Aaron Rodgers. The whole breakup left the Jets in serious QB limbo. And then, they go and pull this: a $40 million move for Justin Fields. That’s right. Two years, $40 million, and a whole lot of questions about what this means for Shedeur’s draft stock. If Shedeur Sanders ain’t getting drafted by the Jets at 7, how far will his draft stock dip?

Shedeur Sanders’ draft stock takes a hit after New York Jets’ $40M gamble

Rich Cimini of ESPN even reported, “The addition of Fields does not preclude them from drafting a quarterback. If their conviction is strong enough, they could take one at any point in the draft, even in the first round if Shedeur Sanders slips to them at No. 7. But chances are they wouldn’t take the QB plunge until Day 2 or even Day 3. The beauty of Fields’ contract (two years, $40 million) is that it’s essentially a one-year commitment for $30 million. The Jets can reevaluate next offseason.” But the catch? It’s not looking likely they’d take that gamble on Day 1. Maybe Day 2 or even Day 3, which is just wild to think about.

So, why the hesitation? Well, Fields’ contract is essentially a one-year commitment of $30 million. The Jets have set themselves up with a safety net. If Fields balls out, they’ll ride with him. If not, hey, there’s always next season. But for Shedeur Sanders, this move just made his situation a whole lot messier.

It’s like the Jets are playing a game of high-stakes poker, and Sanders’ hand just got a whole lot riskier. And if the Jets pass him up, what then? Sure, he’s still one of the top quarterback prospects, rated No. 18 overall and the No. 2 QB by Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department. But if the Jets and the Las Vegas Raiders (who looked up at Shedeur but acquired QB Geno Smith) both take a pass on him, then what? It’s like a cruel twist of fate for the kid who proved himself worthy despite getting battered week in and week out at Colorado.

Best-case scenario? A team outside the top 10 realizes they’re looking at a future star and trades up. Worst-case? He slides into the mid-first round and lands somewhere like the Seahawks, Steelers—teams with decent QB situations but could use a backup plan.

See, Shedeur has put it out confidently: “Whatever franchise draft me. They’re going to be extremely happy.” Now the clock’s ticking. The Jets are in the driver’s seat, and Shedeur’s NFL dream is hanging by a thread. The NFL’s a cruel game sometimes, and right now, it feels like Sanders is stuck in the middle of a storm with no way out. Will the Jets take a gamble on him, or will they leave him out in the cold while rolling the dice on Justin Fields? Only time will tell, but man, this draft season’s already feeling like one for the books.