A top NFL Draft analyst offered some intelligence on why Shedeur Sanders fell out of favor with the New York Giants.
The Giants were heavily linked to Sanders with the No. 3 overall pick in the months leading up to the NFL Draft. However, the team ultimately picked Penn State pass rusher Abdul Carter at that spot instead. New York later traded back into the first round to draft a quarterback, but they chose Jaxson Dart 25th overall with Sanders still on the board.
According to NFL Draft expert Todd McShay, Sanders interviewed poorly with the Giants, and clashed with head coach Brian Daboll. The interview left a bad impression on both Daboll and Sanders, and Sanders had not really been in play for the Giants since the NFL Combine.
“Shedeur didn’t have a great interview with Brian Daboll in a private visit. The install package came in. Preparation wasn’t there for it. Got called out on it, didn’t like that. Brian didn’t appreciate him not liking it,” McShay said.
McShay suggested that the Giants were not the only team that came away unimpressed after interviewing Sanders.
“There were two personnel people that I spoke to that were in the room during interviews. Two teams drafting in the top ten with quarterback needs where the interviews did not go well,” McShay said. “Not disrespectful. Nothing harsh. It just felt like, the phrase I’ve been using that I think aptly describes it, ‘We didn’t get the sense that Shedeur cared all that much about what we thought of him.'”
Per Todd McShay, Shedeur Sanders completely bombed his interview with the Giants.
— Anthony Rivardo (@Anthony_Rivardo) April 26, 2025
He "didn't have a great interview" with HC Brian Daboll. The "preparation wasn't there" for an install package, Daboll called him out, and Sanders didn't like that.
Explains why they passed. pic.twitter.com/lGES4dZ9Yv
McShay had been expecting Sanders to slide in the draft. Several weeks ago, he had Dart getting drafted before Sanders at a point when most would have thought that prediction was absurd.
Considering Sanders was still on the board after three rounds, it is fair to say that his fall is due to more than just a few bad interviews. However, word spreads around the NFL, and those interviews might have contributed to the pre-draft perception of the former Colorado quarterback.
It is not necessarily the end of the world for a player to perform poorly in pre-draft interviews. However, combine that with the perception from some that Sanders is simply not an elite talent, and you likely have a lot of teams questioning whether he is worth the investment. At this point, one could certainly argue that he is a major value in the fourth round or later. But there are clear red flags surrounding him no matter what.
