ESPN: Mike Tomlin of the Steelers Is Very Clear About His Decision on Shedeur Sanders
One of the best quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft is Shedeur Sanders.
At first, most people thought Sanders would be selected in the top three this year. However, his stock has fluctuated a lot in the days before the draft.
The team having the best odds to pick Sanders in this year’s selection is the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team now owns the 21st overall pick in the first round.
Earlier this month, Sanders visited the Steelers and head coach Mike Tomlin in the top 30.
During a recent pre-draft press conference, Tomlin responded to inquiries on Sanders’ visit.
“His movies clearly showed the elements that stuck out. They have a hardness about them that isn’t discussed enough. There’s a sense of competition there that’s not discussed enough,” Tomlin stated. “… The intangible qualities displayed on tape were impressive to me.”
With Justin Fields and Russell Wilson leaving this summer, the Steelers are searching for their next franchise quarterback. Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson are presently in Tomlin’s quarterback room.
The son of NFL icon Deion Sanders, Sanders led the Colorado Buffaloes in 2024 with 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns, completing 74.0% of his throw attempts.
“I’ve obviously known his father for a long time, [but] it was my first time meeting [Shedeur], and to be quite honest with you, we didn’t talk a whole lot about my relationship with his father,” Tomlin said. “Spending time with a young guy, talking football, getting to know him personally, and seeing how he interprets and perceives the game as well as how he expresses his football experience made it a typical pre-draft visit. It was a pretty typical and fruitful visit from that perspective.
At 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, the 2025 NFL draft will get underway.
