The 49ers wouldn’t have an interest in drafting him, but Shedeur Sanders potentially slipping in Round 1 would carry massive ramifications.
Unless the San Francisco 49ers opt to drop a bomb in Round 1 of the NFL Draft, they won’t be selecting a quarterback with the No. 11 overall pick.
All signs point to them being fully committed to Brock Purdy, and the two parties are moving well toward what’ll be a lucrative contract extension for the final pick of the 2022 draft. Unless things fall apart on that front between now and day one of the 2025 draft, one can effectively cross off a quarterback being the Niners’ primary target with their first pick.
Round 1 quarterback prospects still have a possible impact on San Francisco, though, namely Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders’ landing spot is becoming more and more difficult to assess. For much of the offseason draft lead-up, he’d been speculated as a top-three selection, but more recent developments suggest Sanders could slip.
Case in point, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. mocked him to No. 9 overall where the New Orleans Saints are currently slated to pick. Additionally, the No. 2 overall-drafting Cleveland Browns just inked veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, which suggests they won’t be overly aggressive in making Sanders their top pick.
Even if they wouldn’t be interested in picking Sanders, the 49ers would love nothing more than a drop down the big board.
49ers benefit if Shedeur Sanders falls in NFL Draft
A would-be Sanders fall opens up the door for a number of different possibilities. On the surface, it might potentially push other non-quarterback prospects further down the board, too.
That’s a plus. Perhaps the Niners have a greater shot at landing a standout player like Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, who should be a top-five pick but could see his own fall, given the fluidity of Sanders’ uncertainty.
However, the bigger potential benefit is if another team begins to lick its chops at Sanders dropping, namely if that team is poised to select much later in the first round.
For example, the Pittsburgh Steelers have an uncertain quarterbacking future and are poised to pick at No. 21 overall. If they see Sanders as a long-term fix and are willing to be aggressive enough to trade up with San Francisco to obtain the No. 11 overall pick, the 49ers might be able to recoup a significant amount of draft capital even if it means missing out on a possible blue-chip prospect.
Given the plethora of Niners roster holes, that might be the smarter play, and they could hope Sanders dropping in the draft might lead to that.
