Shedeur Sanders’ draft stock flips more than a pancake on a Sunday morning. One day, he’s locked into the top five. Next, his Combine absence and what some called a brash and arrogant attitude knocked him all the way down to No. 21. Then suddenly, his name is back in the headlines as the potential golden boy for the New York Giants—especially after his dad, Deion Sanders, casually dropped the line, “Let’s hope it’s New York.” But let’s be real: For that to happen, will he even be a top-five pick?

That’s the rollercoaster Shedeur’s on right now. In a recent mock by a national analyst, he’s once again projected outside the top five. The ups and downs have been wild, and it’s hard to tell where the dust will settle.

The buzz around Shedeur and the Giants isn’t just fan-made chatter—it’s backed by real interest. After finishing their 2024 season at a brutal 3-14, the Giants are revamping their QB room. They brought in Russell Wilson on a one-year, $21 million deal and Jameis Winston on a two-year, $8 million contract. It’s a bold move—maybe even a setup for something bigger, like drafting Shedeur for the long term.

And according to NFL insiders, the Giants have been eyeing him for a while. Matt Miller reported that New York’s been heavily scouting Colorado home games. And here’s the kicker: a league scout told Miller that, “New York-loving Shedeur is the worst-kept secret in the league right now.”

But just when it seemed like a Giants-Shedeur union was inevitable, things shifted again. Analyst Austin Abbott just stirred the pot, mocking Shedeur to the Saints at No. 9 in his recent top-10 projection. According to Abbott, “If the NFL Draft was today,” here’s how it would go: “1. Cam Ward (TEN) 2. Abdul Carter (CLE) 3. Travis Hunter (NYG) 4. Will Campbell (NE) 5. Mason Graham (JAC) 6. Ashton Jeanty (LV) 7. Armand Membou (NYJ) 8. Will Johnson (CAR) 9. Shedeur Sanders (NO) 10. Mike Green (CHI).”

Honestly? It might not be that far-fetched.

The Saints are already in the conversation to draft Shedeur Sanders, and they might be getting serious. CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso also mocked Sanders to New Orleans at No. 9, writing, “Surprise! The Saints go with Sanders, as new head coach Kellen Moore sees a lot of Jared Goff in the game of the Colorado quarterback.”

What makes that even more interesting is the Saints’ current QB situation. Derek Carr’s future there isn’t exactly set in stone. Even though he’s technically QB1 for now, the team restructured his contract to free up $30 million in cap space. That’s usually code for: ‘We’re not sure about this guy long-term.’ 2025 could very well be Carr’s last season in the Big Easy. And here’s where it gets even spicier.

There are whispers—real ones—that the Saints might trade up to the No. 3 pick to grab Sanders as their franchise QB. USA Today’s Tyler Dragon reported, “New Saints coach Kellen Moore inherited Derek Carr. They aren’t necessarily in a committed long-term relationship. Sanders is a prototypical dropback passer. He throws with good accuracy and anticipation. He’s the type of quarterback the Saints and Moore can build around. The Giants trade down to get more draft assets.” That’s a scenario worth watching.

Stats-wise, Shedeur has the numbers to back it all up. His body of work at Colorado is where he really shines: 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and a 74% completion rate for the 2024 season. He’s no fluke. So why is his stock still sliding?

Urban Meyer highlights the reason behind Shedeur Sanders slipping draft stocks

Well, Urban Meyer thinks he has the answer. According to Meyer, some NFL teams have doubts about Shedeur’s ability to consistently throw into tight coverage. He believes that the level of competition Sanders faced in college didn’t do him any favors.

“I called a GM friend of mine, and [Shedeur Sanders] had slipped a little bit here. The reason he’s slipping is they’re looking at the competition that he played. I don’t know if I necessarily agree with that. But I understand, throughout the NFL, there’s a concern about if he can make the throw in the tight windows because, in the Big 12 conference, he didn’t have to do that very much,” Meyer said.

Add that to the fact that Shedeur was often under pressure due to a weak offensive line—and things get messy. He ended up scrambling a lot, which led to a 21.9% sack rate. That stat doesn’t sit well with scouts, especially when they’re evaluating how he’ll perform under NFL-level pressure. Despite his high completion rate, the hesitation under pressure and lack of tight-window throws are raising red flags.

Urban Meyer believes Shedeur’s upcoming pro day is his final shot to prove he can deliver under pressure. With Cam Ward looking like a solid lock for QB1 and guys like Jaxson Dart climbing fast, Shedeur’s got some ground to cover if he wants to reclaim a top-five spot. As for the Giants—they’ve been linked to him for a while, but with two veterans in place and the possibility of trading down for more draft capital, their path is unclear. Will they go all-in on Shedeur? Or will they sit tight and let another team—like the Saints—make the move?