Peter Schrager: Shedeur Sanders is the most interesting NFL Draft prospect since Johnny Manziel

There’s a little over a week until the 2025 NFL Draft, and it’s anyone’s guess where Shedeur Sanders will end up. It’s evoking memories of another former top quarterback prospect for Peter Schrager, as the ESPN analyst compared the situation that Johnny Manziel in 2014.

“Shedeur Sanders is the most interesting draft prospect since Johnny Manziel,” Schrager proclaimed, via Get Up on Tuesday. “Yes, I’m going back that far, in which this guy could go as high as No. 2 overall, or slip to the end of the first round or early second. Yet, we will be watching every last second until he’s selected. I don’t remember a draft where a player that’s not the blue-chip, first guy is the one we’re talking about every single day.”

While Schrager doesn’t believe Sanders is the same type of player as Manziel, the hype both quarterbacks have entering their respective drafts is something to behold. The former Texas A&M star had to wait until No. 22 to hear his name called. Sanders is hoping it won’t be that long for him.

Of course, Manziel’s NFL career was highly-publicized, as he flamed out after two season with the Browns. Ironically, Cleveland is in the mix for Sanders as well, although it would be at No. 2 — not No. 22. A much different level of investment. 

There’s a myriad of teams who could land Sanders, from the aforementioned Browns, to the Giants at No. 3, the Saints at No. 9 and the Steelers at No. 21. That’s a large range of teams, and there’s no discounting a potential trade back into the first round for a team like New York if Sanders begins to fall.

Where will Shedeur Sanders land in the 2025 NFL Draft?

Regardless, Schrager is of the belief that the media may be overvaluing Sanders at the moment, similar to Manziel in 2014. While there’s a chance he could be a top ten pick, he’s not betting on it happening at the moment.

“I spent the weekend on the couch texting everyone in the NFL while watching The Masters and Peppa Pig with my two year old. I will tell you that this is a situation where I think the media might look at Shedeur Sanders in one way, and the teams might be evaluating him a little bit of a different way,” Schrager stated, via Get Up on Monday. “With 10 days left until the draft, I think it’s fair to just level set expectations here. I don’t have a team that is saying, ‘Oh my gosh, Shedeur Sanders. We love Shedeur Sanders.’ A nice prospect. This is by no means a blue-chip quarterback prospect. This is not Caleb Williams from a year ago. This is not Jayden Daniels from a year ago. Not Drake Maye from a year ago.

“So I personally don’t have this top-three hype. There’s a chance that this could happen. He could go to the Browns at No. 2. He could go to the Giants at No. 3. They need a quarterback. But just trying to level set expectations here, I don’t know if Shedeur Sanders is looked at the same way as some of these mock drafts are looking at him and how we’re talking. … 10 days out, I would be very surprised if either those teams (Browns and Giants) took him second or third. Nine (Saints) feels more likely, but that would be a surprise for me as well. I’m not putting him there yet.

“… He’s gonna meet with the Raiders this week too, and they’re in No. 6 spot. They just signed Geno [Smith], and I don’t think their plan with Geno Smith is a one-year deal with Geno Smith. So, you’re looking at a player who everyone says very positive things. … This guy is a great operator of the football, he’s a great leader — all that stuff, he just doesn’t have those wow intangibles where everyone’s like, I need this person running my franchise.”

One NFL team will be elated to land Shedeur Sanders, just like the Browns were in 2014 when they drafted Johnny Manziel. They’ll be hoping it results in much more success than Cleveland saw with the former Heisman Trophy winner, but nothing is guaranteed when it comes to quarterbacks in the league.