Big Blue Huddle

Via college football insider Bruce Feldman (he projects the Giants taking Sanders at 3)

3. New York Giants: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado
The Giants have a big need at quarterback. Sanders, the son of football legend Deion Sanders, is a polarizing prospect. He and his dad arrived at Colorado two years ago and revived a program that had been left for dead. They, along with fellow Jackson State transfer Travis Hunter, made the Buffaloes nationally relevant immediately. The younger Sanders sparked the Buffs to a season-opening road win at TCU, a team that played in the national title game the previous season. In 2024, the Buffs improved from 4-8 to 9-4 and finished in the Top 25.

In two seasons, despite playing behind a woeful O-line, Sanders amassed a 64-to-13 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

"I think he has good arm talent and really good poise," a Big 12 defensive coordinator said. "I think he's almost too cocky, at least at the college level, where he would take some really bad sacks. Decision-making-wise, I think he thinks he's better than everybody else, and that does help him elevate his game, but it also gets him into some bad situations. And if he doesn't shake that, he's gonna take way too many sacks in the NFL."

At 6-1 1/2, 212 pounds, Sanders does not have his dad's remarkable athleticism. Rival coaches estimate Sanders is probably a high 4.7, low 4.8 (40) guy.

"Even though he's not fast, he was pretty elusive," the Big 12 defensive coordinator said. "What I thought he does very well is when plays broke down, that was a strength. Once the first read wasn't there and he broke the pocket, he kept his eyes downfield and really had a nice touch and was accurate. Especially when he's on the run, that's when he's most dangerous. I don't know if he has any elite physical traits, but I do think he has elite processing and feel for the game."

One former NFL coach who watched a lot of Sanders was reminded of when Mac Jones came out of college, wondering whether he has any elite traits.

"Yeah, he's smooth, and he operates well," the coach said, "but if he operates so well, why does he take so many sacks? I know his O-line is awful, and I get that to an extent, but I'm watching him, and like 40 percent of the sacks are on him. Dude, just throw the ball!"

But that coach also believes Sanders is very accurate.

"He throws a very catchable ball," the coach said, "and knows what kind of ball to throw, and his pocket movement is good, and those things do translate, but his clock is way too slow. It might be because he always thinks he has to make a play, but that's not gonna go well in the NFL."

Said a Big 12 secondary coach, "I think he really understands football and is very smart, and their OC did a good job of playing to his strengths. I don't think he's gonna be a bust."

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6246631/2025/04/02/nfl-mock-draft-2025-bruce-feldman/?source=user_shared_article

All fair points.   I won't be angry if they take, although I would not do it, especially if Carter and/or Hunter are there.

Why? Because picking a QB is always a crap shoot. For example, there was certainly no unanimity among the so-called experts that Ryan Leaf would turn out to be a world-class bust. IMO the most difficult decision in all of off-field NFL football is drafting a QB, because the stakes are so very high.

I should also say my "best" reason to draft him is because we can be more certain than usual that he can handle the "bright lights" of playing for the Giants. The comparison of Shadeur/Deion to Eli/Archie (both the good and bad of it) is clearly imperfect because Deion was not an NFL QB, but IMO it's close enough to rely upon.

Bob

Quote from: Bob In PA on April 02, 2025, 11:21:51 AMAll fair points.

I won't be angry if they take, although I would not do it, especially if Carter and/or Hunter are there.

Why? Because picking a QB is always a crap shoot. For example, there was certainly no unanimity among the so-called experts that Ryan Leaf would turn out to be a world-class bust. IMO the most difficult decision in all of off-field NFL football is drafting a QB, because the stakes are so very high.

Bob

Bob - NFL teams did wowful due diligence on Leaf.  With talent like his, he does not make his high school's Hall of Fame, there is something wrong about his attitude, maturity or something mentally.  That should have been a red flag.

Quote from: Philosophers on April 02, 2025, 11:26:49 AMBob - NFL teams did wowful due diligence on Leaf.  With talent like his, he does not make his high school's Hall of Fame, there is something wrong about his attitude, maturity or something mentally.  That should have been a red flag.

Phil: I never heard that item of info about Leaf.

Thanks for pointing it out.

Also I amended my post after you copied it, so maybe you also want to comment on the extra paragraph.

Bob

@Bob In PA and @Philosophers

I once had a chat with a guy who went to school with Leaf.  He told me that Leaf was well-known on campus as a major league A-hole

Combine that with the story Bill Polian tells about how Leaf told him he wanted a couple of weeks vacation with his buddies after he would be drafted versus Peyton Manning trying to figure out how to beat the NFL/NCAA rules that would have caused him to miss some off-season activities

Quote from: Bob In PA on April 02, 2025, 11:21:51 AMAll fair points.  I won't be angry if they take, although I would not do it, especially if Carter and/or Hunter are there.

Why? Because picking a QB is always a crap shoot. For example, there was certainly no unanimity among the so-called experts that Ryan Leaf would turn out to be a world-class bust. IMO the most difficult decision in all of off-field NFL football is drafting a QB, because the stakes are so very high.

I should also say my "best" reason to draft him is because we can be more certain than usual that he can handle the "bright lights" of playing for the Giants. The comparison of Shadeur/Deion to Eli/Archie (both the good and bad of it) is clearly imperfect because Deion was not an NFL QB, but IMO it's close enough to rely upon.

Bob

I don't think they should take him either, but there is a flip side to what you just said about picking a QB is a crap shoot. If they don't take the shot, they always get crap.

My gut is to take Milroe in the second and third round and hope they can develop him. If  not, he has other tools that might work in the NFL as a hybrid for a creative play caller. And my gut also says most likely they will be on the prowl for a QB next year  and it would make more sense for a new coach and QB to be involved in that process.

Quote from: MightyGiants on April 02, 2025, 11:30:55 AM@Bob In PA and @Philosophers

I once had a chat with a guy who went to school with Leaf.  He told me that Leaf was well-known on campus as a major league A-hole

Combine that with the story Bill Polian tells about how Leaf told him he wanted a couple of weeks vacation with his buddies after he would be drafted versus Peyton Manning trying to figure out how to beat the NFL/NCAA rules that would have caused him to miss some off-season activities

Rich: Bad memory and all, I absolutely DO remember discussing that very issue on-line, at wherever I was participating at that time (whenever it was lol). I also don't recall if it was before the draft or some time thereafter. Bob

This evaluation reads like his best comp is Johnny Manziel.

I'm not trying to put him down, I'm simply reacting to what I just read.

Really good when it breaks down (at the college level).
He makes poor decisions because he thinks he's the smartest guy on the field.

His tools (speed, arm strength) are limited. Do those limitations impact his ability to make plays in the NFL; bigger,stronger, faster defenders than college?

Taking so many sacks in college is one thing. Does he have the body to endure half as much punishment at the NFL level?


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Quote from: Bob In PA on April 02, 2025, 11:21:51 AMAll fair points.   I won't be angry if they take, although I would not do it, especially if Carter and/or Hunter are there.

Why? Because picking a QB is always a crap shoot. For example, there was certainly no unanimity among the so-called experts that Ryan Leaf would turn out to be a world-class bust. IMO the most difficult decision in all of off-field NFL football is drafting a QB, because the stakes are so very high.

I should also say my "best" reason to draft him is because we can be more certain than usual that he can handle the "bright lights" of playing for the Giants. The comparison of Shadeur/Deion to Eli/Archie (both the good and bad of it) is clearly imperfect because Deion was not an NFL QB, but IMO it's close enough to rely upon.

Bob

I'd be upset. If you have to squint really hard to avoid seeing a players glaring weakness he isn't worth the third pick overall especially when there are three players that check almost all the boxes sitting there to be had.

https://x.com/lostalkspats/status/1907482401242230982?s=46&t=1vcQIN8GqF5J2oLdxEVEJQ

Quote from: andrew_nyGiants on April 02, 2025, 04:28:23 PMThis evaluation reads like his best comp is Johnny Manziel.

I'm not trying to put him down, I'm simply reacting to what I just read.

Really good when it breaks down (at the college level).
He makes poor decisions because he thinks he's the smartest guy on the field.

His tools (speed, arm strength) are limited. Do those limitations impact his ability to make plays in the NFL; bigger,stronger, faster defenders than college?

Taking so many sacks in college is one thing. Does he have the body to endure half as much punishment at the NFL level?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I've never seen this comp made before but I think it's absolutely perfect.

He's gonna be the pick. He's openly telling people he's going to the Giants and pretty much blew off all the other interviews.

Deion is making it clear to the Browns not to draft him.

Quote from: Bob In PA on April 02, 2025, 11:29:03 AMPhil: I never heard that item of info about Leaf.

Thanks for pointing it out.

Also I amended my post after you copied it, so maybe you also want to comment on the extra paragraph.

Bob

With a poor OL, why did Shedeur take all those sacks?  That's a horrible attribute.  It's not he gambled downfield and threw picks.  He simply costed his team valuable yards.  Does he fix that in the NFL?  Rushers will be faster.

The Giants were woeful last year . Sanders will not make them better this coming year. Hunter or Carter will. Sanders is not Daniels, Williams, Maye Luck, etc. Can he be a franchise QB, I have no idea. I don't know how much better he is than the other QBs in this draft.

We should improve our team the best we can. Wilson will be better than any QB we had last year.

Quote from: madbadger on April 02, 2025, 05:35:11 PMI'd be upset. If you have to squint really hard to avoid seeing a players glaring weakness he isn't worth the third pick overall especially when there are three players that check almost all the boxes sitting there to be had.

madb: I'm right there with you.

My only quibble results from a sincere belief that I know less about QB's than they do. lol

So, if they're willing to risk their jobs taking Sanders and passing on either Carter or Hunter, then I say, "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" (and old World War I song).

Bob