Why does Jordan Palmer think Shedeur Sanders fell in the draft?
Former NFL quarterback Jordan Palmer shares his thoughts on Shedeur Sanders falling to the fifth round of the NFL draft.
Sports Seriously
NFL power rankings with the 2025 draft now complete (previous rank in parentheses):
1. Philadelphia Eagles (1): Even coming off a dominant Super Bowl triumph over an active dynasty, it very much feels like this team is positioned to achieve even more – which may be especially true given EVP/GM Howie Roseman somehow winds up with a player like LB Jihaad Campbell joining the roster at the end of the draft’s first round. Rich and richer, etc., etc.
2. Baltimore Ravens (3): Perhaps you don’t love the choice of second-round OLB Mike Green philosophically – which is especially puzzling for an organization that now appears appropriately poised to part with K Justin Tucker after drafting a new one. Yet it’s also hard to deny that a team that’s gone 25-9 over the past two regular seasons seems to be picking up steam, especially given QB Lamar Jackson’s amazing knack for continuous improvement.
3. Los Angeles Rams (4): Once and future kings? Three years removed from winning the Super Bowl, the new-look Rams were the only team to challenge Philly in the playoffs. Now they’ve swapped out WR Cooper Kupp for Davante Adams, added more fresh talent to the defense, and are set up to replace QB Matthew Stafford (if need be) with multiple first-round selections in 2026.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (5): Speaking of that aforementioned dynasty, if ever a perennial contender coming off a 17-3 season, its ninth straight division title and fifth Super Bowl berth in six seasons felt vulnerable … well, maybe that notion has actually already passed? Whenever he’s physically ready, first-round LT Josh Simmons seems capable of stabilizing QB Patrick Mahomes’ blind side for a very long time. Mahomes’ comfort level should be further improved by the return of WR Rashee Rice, even if he has to serve a suspension, from injury. The road to the AFC crown still very much runs through Arrowhead.
5. Buffalo Bills (2): This slightly subdued ranking is less a suggestion that they’re dropping but more an acknowledgement that the other closely packed Super Bowl aspirants have improved more significantly – not to mention the likelihood that the AFC East probably won’t be the cakewalk it’s been in recent years. But we don’t mind you passing on wide receivers in the draft, Brandon Beane.
6. Washington Commanders (6): A team that did a notably poor job of drafting prior to the arrival of GM Adam Peters and HC Dan Quinn in 2024 now seems to be steadily building a strong foundation, yet shouldn’t need to be overly reliant on its latest crop of rookies in 2025.
7. Detroit Lions (7): Hard to argue with any draft that strongly resources the trenches. The biggest question in Motown remains how well the two-time defending NFC North champs transition to two new coordinators.
8. Green Bay Packers (8): Good as they were in 2024, the sum of the parts seemed greater than the whole in what was something of a mirrored outcome compared to the 2023 team. But the newest part, first-round WR Matthew Golden, and the apparent retention of another, Pro Bowl CB Jaire Alexander, could be signs that the “Go Pack Go” you heard throughout draft weekend could continue deep into the upcoming season.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9): They’re quite obviously capable of running the NFC South for the foreseeable future. But do they have the juice to consistently make deep playoff runs, especially after picking another receiver (Emeka Egbuka) in the first round when difference makers for the defensive front seven seemed readily available?
10. Houston Texans (18): Sure seems as if they’ll need to mount an exceptional effort … to not win the AFC South in 2025. That might explain some of their willingness to make so many fundamental changes to the offense, modifications surely aimed at much bigger objectives than obtaining another divisional crown.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (10): The 49ers reached the Super Bowl in their second season under Jim Harbaugh (of course, they also qualified for the conference championship round in their first). For the Bolts to match those 2013 Niners in Year 2, they’ll need to leverage the advantage of their hefty continuity while hoping Harbs can help the roster’s young core truly blossom.
12. Cincinnati Bengals (13): Their draft wasn’t especially inspiring. But this club’s primary obstacles still seem to be issues that must be solved from within – giving DE Trey Hendrickson the raise he deserves and avoiding another disastrous September start, problems that threaten to become disastrously intertwined.
13. Denver Broncos (17): It’s easy (and justifiable) to link their quick turnaround to HC Sean Payton and QB Bo Nix. It also seems a bit easy to lose sight of what an elite defense this could be, especially with the arrival of first-round DB Jahdae Barron.
14. San Francisco 49ers (11): We’re eight seasons into the John Lynch-Kyle Shanahan regime – half ending outside the playoffs, the other half extending at least as far as the NFC title game. Despite a significant offseason recalibration, the Niners seem too good to miss the postseason again … assuming they don’t get swamped by another litany of injuries.
15. Seattle Seahawks (12): Speaking of recalibrating, they could have five new starters on offense, most notably QB Sam Darnold and Kupp. If first-year coordinator Klint Kubiak can balance the unit – meaning sustained emphasis on the run, which is what HC Mike Macdonald wants – feasible chance they don’t wind up a tiebreaker shy of the playoffs again.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (26): Despite an ongoing offseason of uncertainty, no one should suggest switching out Russell Wilson for Aaron Rodgers – assuming he ever signs a contract – is a lateral move at quarterback. Forward lateral? Maybe. But if the Steelers truly hope to punctuate another 9-8 season with a long-awaited postseason win, the most important components could be third-round RB Kaleb Johnson and a young offensive line that needs to fully coalesce.
17. Arizona Cardinals (15): A team that (quietly?) doubled its win total from four to eight in 2024 has basically left an 11th-ranked offense untouched while overhauling a 21st-ranked defense. What it means is TBD, though it would be easier to back the Cards as a dangerous 2025 dark horse if they weren’t stuck in a division that’s probably the league’s roughest top to bottom.
18. Minnesota Vikings (14): Admittedly, they were devalued at this time a year ago – basically universally – given the unknown at quarterback. And while the totality of talent on the roster (and coaching staff) might be in sharper focus now, the unknown at quarterback remains.
19. Chicago Bears (16): Did you know they haven’t won a playoff game in 14 years? Perhaps the organizational penchant for disarray quells what looks like a very good team on paper – for the second year in a row. But let’s give highly recommended rookie HC Ben Johnson and his new staff a year to settle in before they’re forced to prove these aren’t the same old Bears.
20. New England Patriots (19): Whereas Johnson is an unproven commodity as a head coach, Mike Vrabel most certainly is not. Aside from his return to the sideline, the Pats’ 22 starters in 2025 may look at least 50% different from last year’s 4-13 edition. Don’t be surprised if this is also a formula for the victory column to undergo a twofold upgrade.
21. Las Vegas Raiders (30): The marriage of an excellent draft headlined by RB Ashton Jeanty, a veteran infusion on defense, arrival of Geno Smith to settle the quarterback position and – perhaps most important – new HC Pete Carroll’s competitive culture should make the Silver and Black a far more competitive operation in 2025, if one that still has an uphill battle to escape last place in the AFC West.
22. Dallas Cowboys (20): Their draft was solidly promising – and Jerry Jones and Co. definitely seemed to follow the “best player available” axiom rather than drafting for need. That said, the Cowboys have more work to do on this roster heading into next season and could be a team especially focused on reeling in some of the more notable free agents who have taken their time picking new destinations.
23. Carolina Panthers (23): If QB Bryce Young can maintain his trend line from the second half of last season – eminently reasonable given his young weapons and HC Dave Canales – a defense that ranked dead last in 2024 may be the primary factor hindering this team from possibly contending within this division. However getting DE Derrick Brown back from his knee injury could be a game changer … literally.
24. Miami Dolphins (21): Gotta commend them for targeting big guys in the draft … yet unclear if they targeted the optimal ones. The secondary still looms as a problematic issue, especially with the presumption CB Jalen Ramsey is on his way out of South Florida. It adds up to the daunting prospect of QB Tua Tagovailoa having to potentially drop back 40 times per game.
25. New York Jets (25): Clearly, the expectations in 2024 were too outsized (raises hand). Maybe the expectations in 2025 are too downsized (slowly raising hand?). But a largely measured approach to free agency and the draft signal an encouraging start for a new regime that seems fixated on keeping the main thing the main thing.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars (24): The arrival – at significant cost – of 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter could make them a curiosity they haven’t been since joining the league 30 years ago. But rookie HC Liam Coen must do for QB Trevor Lawrence what he did for Baker Mayfield in Tampa if the Jags are to become legitimately relevant again.
27. Atlanta Falcons (22): Maybe they finally solved their years-long pass rush deficiencies. Maybe they paid way too exorbitantly to do it. Maybe this roster will just be hopelessly out of kilter as long as its backup quarterback is making nearly $30 million (or more) annually.
28. New York Giants (32): This draft will doubtless ultimately be defined by the success or failure of first-round QB Jaxson Dart. But it sure appears like a strong haul – even if the results aren’t immediately apparent in the win column for the team with the league’s toughest schedule (based on opponents’ 2024 winning percentages) in 2025.
29. Cleveland Browns (27): Their surprising approach to the 2025 draft suggests they’re far more focused on the 2026 draft – and consequently worth wondering how far Joe Flacco or Shedeur Sanders or Otto Graham could carry this offense as currently constructed.
30. Indianapolis Colts (28): The uncertainty at quarterback combined with the loss of two starting offensive linemen render this a worrisome situation. Should help on both fronts that first-round TE Tyler Warren landed in Indy’s lap.
31. Tennessee Titans (31): History shows that a team drafting a quarterback No. 1 overall is going to struggle, though maybe it helps that Cam Ward won’t be saddled with the same weighty expectations Caleb Williams carried last year in Chicago. Simply limiting the turnovers that so often put this defense in bad spots in 2024 would be a good start for Ward.
32. New Orleans Saints (29): The murky situation around Derek Carr’s injured throwing shoulder significantly clouds the outlook of a team that will otherwise be at the mercy of a highly inexperienced group of quarterbacks … even if second-rounder Tyler Shough, who’s almost 26, just left college after seven years.
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