As the countdown to the 2025 NFL Draft continues, former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders has become one of the most intriguing narratives in the football world. After a stellar performance during his college career, speculation has swirled regarding his potential draft position. What was once thought to be a surefire top pick has now turned into a landscape filled with uncertainty and mixed opinions from scouts and analysts alike.

In recent weeks, the conversation surrounding Sanders has intensified, particularly after an anonymous scout shared a rather unflattering review of his formal interview, telling NFL.com's Tom Pelissero, "Sanders had the worst formal interview Ive ever been in in my life." This kind of feedback is critical, as interviews often play a significant role in a player's draft stock. Initially projected to be the second quarterback selected after the 2024-25 college football season, some analysts now worry that he might slip entirely out of the first round.

The uncertainty surrounding Sanders is echoed in the betting markets, which are notoriously volatile as the draft approaches. Oddsmakers have struggled to set clear lines for his draft position, reflecting the broader confusion in evaluations of his abilities. In Yahoo Sports' final mock draft, Sanders fell out of the first round completely, with other quarterbacks like Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, and Jalen Milroe being selected ahead of him. This was a surprising turn of events, considering that just months ago, many analysts viewed Sanders as a top contender.

After the 2024 NFL Draft concluded, Sanders opened as the favorite to be the first player drafted at +300, according to BetMGM. However, as the draft process unfolded, those odds have significantly lengthened, with Cam Ward now emerging as a strong favorite to be the first overall pick, likely heading to the Tennessee Titans during Thursday's first round.

On the betting front, Circa Sports in Nevada initially set Sanders' positional over/under at 8.5 last week. As of Wednesday, the over (indicating Sanders would be drafted after pick No. 8) was heavily favored at -1100. This shift reflects a significant amount of betting activity leaning towards the prediction that Sanders will not be a top-10 pick.

Comments regarding the New Orleans Saints' potential disinterest in Sanders at pick No. 9 further impacted his odds. As sportsbooks began to react to this news, Sanders' over/under at ESPN Bet jumped dramatically from 8.5 to 21.5, with the under now sitting at -140. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who hold the 21st pick, are in need of a quarterback, but they currently have Mason Rudolph as their starting option.

Adrian Horton, director of North American sports trading at ESPN Bet, elaborated on the intricacies of draft oddsmaking, stating, Oddsmaking around the draft is more art than science, compared to setting lines for matchups where you have performance data on two teams. Were following all draft news closely, monitoring betting activity, and moving markets in line with that. With the Saints disinterest driving the lines, sportsbooks are adapting quickly to the evolving narrative.

As the draft nears, data from ESPN Bet reveals that 36.2% of bets and 72.7% of handle were on the over at 8.5. Following the shift to 21.5, a staggering 89.2% of bets and 97.1% of handle have now focused on the under. This dramatic change in betting patterns underscores the shifting perceptions surrounding Sanders prospects.

As of Wednesday, DraftKings Sportsbook adjusted Sanders' over/under to 14.5 (over at -400), while FanDuel has also placed it at 21.5, with the under at -168. With the 2025 NFL Draft set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET Thursday in Green Bay, Wisconsin, teams and fans alike will be watching closely to see where Sanders lands and how his professional career will unfold.