If you were holding out hope that the Pittsburgh Steelers would wind up with Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, allow me to be the bearer of bad news. After a colossal draft slide that saw Sanders falling out of the first round, the polarizing quarterback was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th overall pick in the fifth round.
Sanders was once thought of as a top-10 pick early in the pre-draft process, but his draft stock began to slide after the NFL Combine. Just before the 2025 NFL Draft, the Steelers became the odds-on favorites to land Sanders in the draft.
However, when the 21st overall pick rolled around, Pittsburgh opted for Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Derrick Harmon, leaving Shedeur to keep free-falling in the draft. Late on Day 1, NFL Insider Ian Rapoport teased that the Steelers might trade back up into the second round for a quarterback (Pittsburgh didn't have a second-round pick since the DK Metcalf trade).
But when push came to shove, the Steelers didn't make the aggressive move up for the sliding Sanders. For many fans hoping the team would find the quarterback of the future in the 2025 NFL Draft, the dream is dead. But perhaps it's for the best.
Shedeur Sanders and the Pittsburgh Steelers were far from a perfect match
There's no question the Pittsburgh Steelers need to find a franchise quarterback, but there was never a great chance the quarterback of the future was in this draft class. Most NFL Draft analysts agree that this is an underwhelming QB class. Shedeur Sanders would have been a particularly odd fit.
At just 6'1 1/2'' and 212 pounds, Sanders is an undersized QB with average arm talent and mobility. Though it's not impossible that he could develop into a quality NFL starter, he hardly possesses the traits at the position most fans desire to go toe-to-toe with AFC quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen.
Shedeur's arm talent would have been an odd match for a team in the AFC North, knowing you will be playing in the winter elements in December and January. Sanders is the best fit for a dome team where he can use his accuracy and anticipation to his advantage.
The Pittsburgh Steelers may have missed out on Shedeur Sanders, but they are going to live to fight another day. It's best they wait a year and take their big quarterback swing in the 2026 NFL Draft, where we could see a better talent pool.