Report: Shedeur Sanders opts out of positional drills at NFL Combine, will throw at Pro Day

Colorado quarterback Sheduer Sanders won’t participate in any positional drills during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine next week in Indianapolis, according to NFL.com insider Ian Rapoport.

Sanders, who is widely considered one of just two sure-fire first-round quarterbacks — along with Miami‘s Cam Ward — in the entire 2025 draft class, will instead focus on interviewing with NFL teams during his time in Indianapolis, with the intention of throwing for scouts at Colorado’s Pro Day.

#Colorado QB and potential top pick Shedeur Sanders plans to focus on his interviews with teams at the NFL Scouting Combine, helping them continue to learn him as a person.

He’ll allow his four years of film to speak loudly, then throw at his Pro Day with four draftable CU WRs. pic.twitter.com/Ai1Ul6I4lV

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 23, 2025

“Shedeur Sanders has impressed teams with his presence, poise and intelligence off the field and that should continue in Indy,” Rapoport wrote in another tweet.

It’s not entirely unusual for likely first-round quarterbacks to decline to throw at the Combine as they generally prefer the controlled environment afforded to them at Pro Days, where they’re more likely to have a favorable throwing plan and receivers they’re more comfortable throwing to.

Sanders is one of 13 quarterbacks invited to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, joined by Ward, Ole Miss‘ Jaxson Dart, Texas‘ Quinn Ewers, Oregon‘s Dillon Gabriel, Ohio State‘s Will Howard, Notre Dame‘s Riley Leonard and Alabama‘s Jalen Milroe, just to name a few.

Given some of the criticisms and uncertainty surrounding this year’s QB draft class, Sanders’ decision to opt out of throwing in Indianapolis could provide other less notable quarterbacks the chance to shine, and potentially improve their own draft stock.

Quarterbacks are slated to throw Saturday along with other on-field work, including the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, 20-yard shuttle, 60-yard shuttle and the three-cone drill.

Report: Jaxson Dart could become QB2 in 2025 NFL Draft with strong Combine workout

Since the pre-draft process began, two names emerged as the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Former Miami star Cam Ward and former Colorado standout Shedeur Sanders are generating perhaps the most buzz since their college careers ended.

But a new name could slot in behind Ward and become QB2 with a strong showing at the NFL Scouting Combine, ESPN’s Matt Miller reported — Jaxson Dart.

Dart came in as Miller’s QB3 in his latest rankings behind Ward and Sanders, respectively. But the former Ole Miss quarterback’s stock continues to rise following the Senior Bowl, and Miller said some scouts think he can move past Sanders and become the second quarterback to come off the board if he impresses in Indianapolis.

“I think the big conversation, who’s QB3 in the 2025 NFL Draft?” Miller said Thursday on NFL Live. “It seems as if Miami’s Cam Ward has established himself as the top passer. But I’ve talked to three NFL scouts this week who believe Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart has a shot to leave the Combine as QB2, which would push Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders to the third spot in this year’s draft class – which I think would shock all of us. But crazy things happen at the Combine, and a good workout by Jaxson Dart could certainly start to push his rise up.

“I have him ranked as the third quarterback in this draft. But as teams dive into the tape, as they get past things like the Senior Bowl and prep for the Combine, Jaxson Dart definitely has a lot of buzz pushing him up in that direction.”

On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this report.