It feels like Cam Ward has pretty much held off Shedeur Sanders for honors as the No. 1 quarterback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft.
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., though, might not be thinking what everyone else is thinking.
Kiper joined First Take on Tuesday to deliver what some would consider a shocking take.
“I’m gonna go Shedeur Sanders,” Kiper said. “I’m gonna be steadfast in that. I’ve had him QB1 all along.”
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Kiper said this with a bit of a chuckle, knowing it wouldn’t be a popular thought.
“I love everything about this kid,” Kiper said. “… He dealt with NFL conditions. He survived hit after hit. How he did it? I don’t know.”
Kiper loves Sanders’ accuracy that he showed even under heavy pressure.
He also compared Sanders’ sneaky rushing ability to Patrick Mahomes in their capacity to get you a first down on third-and-eight.
“Explosive arm, you don’t need to have that,” Kiper said. “You can win big in the NFL going about your business like Shedeuer Sanders does.”
Kiper finished with this thought.
“He has the mindset to be great,” Kiper said.
In Kiper’s Mock Draft 3.0, he does have Ward going No. 1 to the Titans, followed by Penn State’s Abdul Carter to the Browns second before the New York Giants get Sanders at No. 3. That leaves Travis Hunter, the two-way Heisman winner, to the Patriots at No. 4 overall.
Most reports indicate what Kiper has, that Tennessee is sold on Ward. But Kiper himself, if he was picking, sounds like he’d go the other way.
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