Joey Galloway takes puzzling stance, claims Shedeur Sanders did not slide in NFL Draft

ESPN’s Joey Galloway took a puzzling stance, saying that Shedeur Sanders did not slide in the NFL Draft Thursday night. Sanders was not selected within the first 32 picks, where he was initially projected.

Galloway, who was the No. 8 overall pick back in 1995, likely didn’t experience a slide in his mind. So it was curious to hear his take regarding Sanders in this year’s draft, 30 years later.

If it’s not a slide, then what is it? Galloway assured that Sanders’ draft selection is purely based on evaluation.

“I hate the fact that we use slide or falling in these situations,” Galloway said on College GameDay. “He’s not sliding or falling. Nobody wanted to pick him, so they didn’t pick him, and that’s all it is. What we do is say where these guys should go, right? But that’s not the NFL team saying, hey, he should be top five. So then we make it feel like it’s a funeral at the end, all is lost. What in the world are we going to do? He’s going to get drafted. 

“The only thing is your ego is bruised because you had a party and didn’t get picked, but that’s it. When you get there, no matter what round you go in, the race begins. Between the first rounders and the seventh rounders, (they’re) all in the same race, trying to get to that second contract.”

Once rated as the No. 2 quarterback in the draft class, and a potential top five or 10 pick, Sanders slid out of the first round Thursday night. The second quarterback taken was Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart when the New York Giants traded back into the first round.

The Steelers were linked to Sanders at No. 21, but selected Derrick Harmon, a defensive tackle from Oregon. So, will Sanders last to No. 83 in the third round?

“I think anything’s possible,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter said on NFL Live. “I think where I would start is where we left off last night. The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have a second round draft pick. They’re picking 83rd in the third round. Now is Shedeur Sanders going to slip through the second round back to another turn around with the Pittsburgh Steelers? I don’t dismiss that. Now, look, anything’s possible here. For all we know, the Cleveland Browns have two of the first four picks. Maybe they decide they can afford to roll the dice with Shedeur Sanders. I don’t think anybody knows. 

“Everybody’s already passed him up once. Teams with quarterback needs have passed him up once. There are other teams that have quarterback needs that are said not to be interested in him, so it’s gonna take somebody that’s got a high grade on him, somebody that’s willing to roll the dice. It could be anywhere as late as the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 83.”