Father of Star QB Could Force Son to Raiders: Analyst
Considering the fact that the Las Vegas Raiders are sitting at 2-7 and just fired much of their offensive coaching staff, it's not too early for them to be looking toward the 2025 offseason. The team desperately needs a quarterback and they should be in a position to draft one early.
However, despite being tied for the worst record in the NFL, the Raiders wouldn't pick until sixth due to strength of schedule, per Tankathon . Luckily, they might get some help. Colorado's Sheduer Sanders is making the case that he should be the first quarterback taken in the draft.
If the Raiders are picking at six, they'd likely have no chance of getting him unless he falls down the board a bit. Sanders' father Deion previously told Barstool Sports in March that he wouldn't be opposed to having his son pull an Eli Manning if the wrong team tries to draft him.
Manning famously refused to play for the Chargers when they drafted him with the No. 1 pick in 2004, which led to him getting traded to the New York Giants . ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. believes that if Sanders takes that step, it would be to force himself to the Raiders.
"It would be Las Vegas," Kiper said when asked if he could see a team that Sanders would want to force his way to on the Nov. 6 episode of "Unsportsmanlike." "... [Tom] Brady and him have that thing going. He kinda has that Brady feel where he's pocket, he's precise."
Would Shedeur Sanders Actually Refuse to Play for Certain Teams?
The thing with Shedeur Sanders is that he doesn't need to worry about money. His family has a lot of money and he's made a good deal of money from NIL in college. If there's anybody who has put himself into a position where he can refuse to play for certain teams, it's him.
Right now, the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers are picking ahead of the Raiders and it'd be easy to see the Sanders family refusing to play for those franchises. While the Raiders can't argue that they're much better, at least they have the Las Vegas element, which should appeal to a young and exciting player. Plus, Tom Brady recently purchased a stake in the team and he has a relationship with Sanders.
Is Sanders the Right Fit for Raiders?
There's a lot of talk of Sanders wanting to go to the Raiders but the decision could ultimately be general manager Tom Telesco's. There's no way of knowing of he feels about the quarterback right now.
Sanders has been very impressive but he likely would've been the third or fourth quarterback off the board had he declared for the draft last year.
Owner Mark Davis is a fan so that may be enough. For what it's worth, Kiper recently wrote out why he thinks Sanders would be a perfect fit in Las Vegas.
"Brady was super accurate, tough and excellent in the pocket during his playing career — which sounds a lot like the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Sanders," Kiper wrote in an October 28 column . "The senior's 73.3% completion rate is fourth in the country, and his 82.3 QBR from inside the pocket is 15th.
"It seems like a really good fit for a Raiders team that needs a young starter under center. After missing out on all six first-round QBs in the 2024 class, Las Vegas has gotten mediocre play from Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell this season. It's time for a long-term fix."
