The Jacksonville Jaguars would be thrilled if they could move down a few spots in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Teams who are interested in getting quarterback help may be tempted to reach out to them. However, a recent scoop involving Shedeur Sanders might decrease the Jags' chances of finding a potential trade-back partner.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated says that the New York Giants and the Cleveland Browns are unlikely to take Sanders, going as far as saying that there's a chance the former Colorado Buffalo will slide out of Round 1.
"Anyway, I don’t think Sanders is going in the top three. And at this point, it feels like it’d be surprising if the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets or Saints took him in the top 10.
I’ve had more than one person say to me that if Sanders goes in the first round, it’ll be because an owner got involved. That, of course, is a bit of a guess from a few guys who are clued into how Sanders is viewed. But it’s also a bit of a window into the way evaluators are looking at the Colorado star."
There a 99.9 certainty that the Tennesssee Titans will draft Cam Ward first overall, so that makes Sanders the best options for teams in need of a potential franchise quarterback. The issue with the Giants and Cleveland passing on him is that either club could take any of the prospects the Jaguars are setting their sights on at No. 5.
Similarly, if team executives think that Sanders will be available in Round 2, clubs that were considering the possibility of moving up may end up staying put. That includes the New Orleans Saints. They hold pick No. 9 and could be a logical trade partner for the Jags if they wanted to go quarterback in the first round.
The Shedeur Sanders news isn't great for the Jaguars, but they'll still have options
Even before the Shedeur Sanders news, the Jacksonville Jaguars were probably going to have a hard time finding a trade-back partner. However, there may still be a few teams who will be looking to move up a few spots in the draft. One that comes to mind is the Chicago Bears at No. 10.
Not long ago, Pete Prisco of CBS Sports suggested the possibility of the Bears getting the fifth overall selection in exchange for No. 10 and a second-rounder. This isn't farfectched when you take into acound that several analyts have explored the possibility of Chicago moving up a few spots in the draft.
On the other hand, the Jaguars could stay at No. 5 and still come out of the draft with a potential building block. The issue is that with Sanders not garnering interest, two-way star Travis Hunter and Will Campbell may not be available when Jacksonville is on the clock.
Hunter was often linked to the Jags when they were trending toward getting the top overall pick. However, it's unlikely that he'll fall to No. 5. Similarly, Hays Carlyon of 1010 believes that they should take Campbell in the first round, but those plans may take a hit if New England selects him one pick earlier.
The bottom line is that the Shedeur Sanders news might narrow down the list of options the Jacksonville Jaguars will have at No. 5, but even then, they should find a suitable outcome.
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