Mel Kiper Praises Shedeur Sanders' Toughness, 'Ready' to Call Star NFL Draft's QB1

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

says he is "ready" to call Colorado's Shedeur Sanders the top quarterback of the 2025 NFL draft after the signal caller led the Buffaloes to a 3-1 season-opening record despite taking 15 sacks in four games.

Competing behind an offensive line that is struggling for the second straight season makes Sanders a more impressive draft candidate than Georgia's Carson Beck or Texas' Quinn Ewers, Kiper argued Thursday on ESPN's First Draft.

"I've been thinking about this for weeks now," Kiper said (12:20 mark of the video below.) "You take Shedeur Sanders, put him at Georgia, how would he do? If you took Shedeur Sanders and put him at Texas, how would he do? If you took Carson Beck, and put him at Colorado, how would he be looking right now? If you took Quinn Ewers, and put him at Colorado, how would he be looking?" Kiper continued: "Shedeur Sanders has had to survive.

I don't know any other quarterback that could, and still be out there...

to keep getting back up and competing.

I'm ready to put Shedeur at QB1, I really am, just because of that reason." Colorado's most recent win over Baylor on Sunday came at the hands of Sanders, who threw a Hail Mary touchdown pass to force overtime and allow the Buffaloes to claim a 38-31 comeback victory.

The recovery came after Shedeur was sacked a season-high eight times by Baylor defenders.

Despite the defensive pressure, through four games Sanders has completed 67.9 percent of his passes for 1,340 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions.

He has passed for multiple touchdowns in each of the Colorado's three wins this season, and was held to one just once in the team's Week 2 loss to rival Nebraska.

"They've got games coming up where they're going to be outmanned out front by just about everybody," Kiper said.

"They can't block up front and give him enough to not get hit.

I don't care about sacks, how many times does he get hit? How many times is he under duress? And I see him competing and making plays.

I just wonder how these other guys would fare, and I wonder how, if we had Shedeur with these powerhouses in college football, like Georgia, how would he fare...

what would we be saying about Shedeur, if he were playing for those teams right now? "I think we'd be saying he's the No.

1 pick of the doggone draft." Sanders will next look to lead the Buffaloes to victory on Saturday during the team's first road game against a conference opponent at UCF.

Later this season Colorado has even tougher matchups coming up with a fall schedule highlighted by ranked Big 12 opponents including No.

23 Kansas State, No.

10 Utah and No.

20 Oklahoma State.

Especially after NFL teams observed the benching of 2023 top pick Bryce Young, who shone at Alabama before struggling behind the thin Carolina Panthers offensive line, Sanders' ability to succeed against highly-ranked opponents despite Colorado's OL struggles could continue raising his appeal as a potential first-round selection next spring..

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