Tyler Shough vs Shedeur Sanders: Why Saints passed on Deion Sanders' son on day 2

After a disappointing day 1 of the NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders suffered another blow on day 2

Updated on: Apr 26, 2025, 05:46:26 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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After a disappointing day 1 of the NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders suffered another blow on day 2, too. The New Orleans Saints selected Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough with the 40th overall pick in the second round ahead of the Colorado star and son of NFL legend Deion Sanders.

New Orleans Saints chose Tyler Shough over Shedeur Sanders at the NFL Draft

This decision sparked debate among fans, especially since the hype around Sanders and the Saints' urgent need for a long-term quarterback solution amid Derek Carr’s shoulder injury.

Why the New Orleans Saints went with Tyler Shough

Tyler Shough, a 26-year-old, 6-foot-5, 219-pound quarterback, was an outright pick for the Saints. His 2024 season at Louisville, his first injury-free campaign, showcased the quarterback's potential. He threw for 3,195 yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions, completing 62.7% of his passes. His arm strength, described as a “cannon,” and ability to make quick decisions impressed scouts. The Athletic noted that Shough’s athleticism and prototypical size made him a “plug-and-play” option, capable of starting Week 1 if Carr remains sidelined.

Despite being nearly 26, Shough’s seven-year college career, yielding two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s, can give him a maturity advantage.

Why not Shedeur Sanders?

Shedeur Sanders, once projected as a top-10 pick, experienced a dramatic slide out of the first round and remained available on Day 2. Despite his impressive 2024 stats—4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and a 73.4% completion rate—several factors led the Saints to pass on him at No. 40:

NFL coaches and executives have reportedly consistently rated Sanders’ talent below expectations. Ten personnel polled on draft night expressed no surprise at his first-round absence, citing his tape as lacking compared to other 2025 quarterbacks like Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart.

His 42 sacks in 2024 raised concerns about his pocket presence, particularly behind the Saints’ “work-in-progress” offensive line.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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