Shedeur Sanders NFL Draft 2025: Ex-NFL head coach makes case for teams to take QB, says ‘it’s not that deep’

Pat Shurmur has a unique perspective when it comes to one of the more polarizing storylines surrounding the 2025 NFL Draft. For one, he’s the former head coach of two of the teams inside the top three in the Cleveland Browns (No. 2) and New York Giants (No. 3), and both of those clubs appear likely to be in the quarterback market. For that, we can also look to Shurmur, who has been working on the Colorado coaching staff and was the offensive coordinator for Shedeur Sanders during the 2024 season. 

Sanders — CBS Sports’ No. 2 quarterback prospect — has a rather muddled draft stock right now. In some circles, he’s viewed as the second-best signal-caller in the class, only looking up at Miami’s Cam Ward; in others, he’s not even the locked-in QB2.

As Shurmur sees it, however, Sanders is a simple selection for QB-needy teams. 

“Well I’ve talked to all 32 teams and some of them multiple times,” Shurmur said Tuesday, via Pro Football Talk. “Some of the teams ought to get an AirBnB out here — they’ve been out here a bunch of times, doing the research on Shedeur for the right reasons. And I’ve told them all this — and I really believe it having worked with him at this level and knowing how he’s going to project to the next level: If you need a quarterback, draft Shedeur. If you don’t need a quarterback, take Travis [Hunter]. Really, I just — as my daughter would say, it’s not that deep.”

Of course, Shurmur’s comments need to be taken with a grain of salt given he has a personal relationship with Sanders. Still, he has a long history of coaching at the collegiate and NFL level. 

While promoting Sanders, Shurmur refuted some pre-draft nitpicking about the QB lacking confidence. 

“Quarterbacks have to have confidence,” Shurmur said. “You’re thrust onto a big stage and it’s third-and-6, and the wind is blowing, and you’ve got to have it — if you don’t have confidence, it ain’t happening. And you’ve been tagged a few times? Some of your guys maybe dropped a couple of balls? You’ve got to be able to stand in there and take it. So, confidence is a huge thing. Being natural at the position is a huge thing. And I just think he has some of the traits that will allow him to be very, very successful.

“So, I’m not into the comparison game. At this point, we’re not working together. We still talk frequently. He’ll call me at night after his visits and we’ll talk about how they went, whatever. But now I’m in the phase where I’m rooting for him and I think whatever team chooses to pick him is going to make a really good choice.”

In his latest mock draft, CBS Sports NFL Draft analyst Josh Edwards has Sanders as the second quarterback off the board, landing with the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6 overall.  

The 2025 NFL Draft is to take place from April 24-26 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. More draft coverage can be found at CBSSports.com, including the weekly mock drafts and a regularly available look at the eligible prospects.