The Pittsburgh Steelers had every opportunity to select Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft, but they never made it happen. After passing on the Colorado quarterback at pick No. 83 in the third round for running back Kaleb Johnson, this sent a clear message that Pittsburgh wasn't interested.
Somehow, Sanders fell to Day 3 of the NFL Draft. But when the Steelers passed on him to take a depth edge rusher in Jack Sawyer at pick No. 123, this was the final straw.
Mel Kiper Jr. was not pleased with Shedeur's draft slide, and if you were watching the ESPN broadcast of the draft, this was easy to see.
Kiper wasn't fond of Pittsburgh's decision to pass on a potential franchise quarterback multiple times when QB felt like such a pressing need. Kiper was sour.
"The Steelers must feel really good about their chances of signing Aaron Rodgers," Kiper wrote on ESPN. "That's the only explanation for their approach to the 2025 draft. And if they don't land Rodgers (or pull some other magic at QB), coach Mike Tomlin's 18-year streak of going at least .500 could end."
But his rant was far from over.
"Mason Rudolph is the current starter," Kiper continued. "Yet, Pittsburgh added only Will Howard at the position -- in Round 6. He's a backup in the NFL. Instead of getting a quarterback they can win games with right now in Round 1, the Steelers went defensive tackle."
It's clear the prominent NFL Draft analyst was bitter about the Pittsburgh Steelers passing on Shedeur Sanders multiple times with their pressing quarterback need. However, his bias toward the Colorado quarterback prospect was especially revealed with what he had to say about the Browns after picking up Sanders in Round 5.
"The other main reason I gave the Browns an A+ shouldn't be a surprise," Kiper explained. "They got quarterback Shedeur Sanders at No. 144 to finish their seven-pick draft. He was my No. 5 overall prospect in the class and clear QB1. He brings excellent accuracy, completing 74% of his throws last season. He brings toughness in the pocket. I think he will be an outstanding pro QB, and I believe we will look back on this pick in a few years and question what the rest of the NFL was doing."
Pittsburgh Steelers fans should take Mel Kiper Jr.'s NFL Draft grades with a grain of salt
Mel Kiper Jr. didn't hold back any punches when criticizing the Pittsburgh Steelers and praising the Cleveland Browns. While the Browns received an 'A+' grade by picking up the pieces with Shedeur Sanders, he gave the Steelers a 'B-' for their efforts. Kiper's infatuation with Sanders could be felt through the TV screen, and he clearly believes Sanders will be a franchise QB in the NFL.
But don't let Kiper's unwavering opinion make you believe that the Steelers messed up by not taking the polarizing quarterback.
While Sanders possesses the accuracy, toughness, and composure required to play the position, he has only average arm talent and mobility, which could really limit his upside, especially playing in the elements of the AFC North.
But even more than this, we need to address the elephant in the room: Shedeur Sanders would have been a distraction. That's not all his fault, but he didn't interview well, and he suffered the consequences with a monumental draft slide. The problem for teams taking him on Day 3 is that the media is always going to ask about Shedeur when the focus should be on the team.
You could have easily talked me into taking Shedeur Sanders anywhere past Pittsburgh's first-round pick. I think he's a solid football player. However, the Steelers are biding their time to take a bigger quarterback swing in the future, and that might be for the best. I wouldn't take Kiper's words to heart.