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Right after the Giants traded up to the 25th pick Thursday night with the world knowing they needed a quarterback, the ESPN broadcast showed the draft parties of the two likely candidates.
First came Shedeur Sanders’ party in Texas, where father and Colorado coach Deion Sanders stood stoically and chatted with those among him.
Next came Jaxson Dart’s festivities in Utah, where the Ole Miss quarterback posed with those in attendance, and several partygoers were seen smiling.
The Sanders watch party in Texas. @JimmyTraina/XThe scenes provided the clue that Dart’s party would take off in several moments once the Giants’ pick was announced, with the Giants choosing him, while Sanders’ shindig would continue in awkwardness.
Unfortunately for Sanders, that scene highlighted a tough night for the Colorado quarterback as he became the poster child for a dreaded green room slide, even if he didn’t attend the draft live.
The ESPN cameras kept showing Sanders and his camp throughout the night — including at the end of the day one proceedings after he was not picked — while the teams that seemingly would be interested in him passed on adding him to their rosters.
The Giants opted not to at both Nos. 3 and 25, selecting Penn State star pass rusher Abdul Carter with the third pick and then opting for Dart.
Shedeur Sanders in an Instagram Story he posted. @shedeursanders/InstagramThe Browns went for a defensive tackle at No. 5.
The Saints decided they would wait at No. 9, even with uncertainty surrounding Derek Carr.
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- Shedeur Sanders’ NFL draft slide begins — with no end in sight
The Steelers, the betting favorites to land Sanders, opted for defensive lineman Derrick Harmon and may just wait for Aaron Rodgers to make up his mind.
ESPN noted at the time that its draft day predictor projected a 96 percent chance Sanders would have been selected by the 21st pick, before later updating it to 97 percent by the end of the first round.
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The pre-draft rumors of a possible slide ultimately proved to be true, with the reports of teams not being enamored with him and even some believing he is a second-round talent.
“I’m built for whatever today may bring,” Sanders posted on X on Friday afternoon.
Well, unfortunately for Sanders, the day brought heartbreak.
The good news for Sanders is he may not have to wait long on Friday to be drafted since the quarterback-needy Browns are on the clock with the first pick of the second round, and the Saints selecting eighth.
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