Shedeur Sanders Predicted to Fall to Bottom of Top 10, Replace $150 Million QB

Most projections have Miami quarterback Cam Ward heading either to the Tennessee Titans with the first pick in this month's NFL draft, or some other team that trades up into that spot. However, Shedeur Sanders of Colorado could go as early as No. 2 to the Cleveland Browns or fall to several other teams along the way to the bottom of the top 10. 

Predictions and projections have been all over the place, but one scenario in particular is beginning to pick up steam: Sanders to the New Orleans Saints with the 9th pick. 

Most recently, NFL insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland projected that outcome after Travis Hunter's pro day on Friday, April 4. 

Grossi predicted that the Browns will take Hunter with the No. 2 pick, bucking what is an obvious need at quarterback to select the wide receiver/cornerback hybrid. In conjunction, Grossi projected that Sanders will drop to the Saints at No. 9. 

The case for Sanders' fall is fairly straightforward. 

Assuming the Titans go Ward at No. 1 and the Browns pass on the QB at No. 2, there are three teams that remain quasi-candidates for Sanders between picks 3-8. The New York Giants select at No. 3 overall, but they just signed Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston to contracts this offseason. Also, Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter will still be on the board if Ward and Hunter come off first and second, respectively, and he may be too talented to pass up. 

The Las Vegas Raiders select at No. 6, but just traded a third-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for Geno Smith before paying him a $75 million extension. The New York Jets at No. 7 are also a candidate for Sanders, though they just signed QB Justin Fields to a two-year deal worth $40 million.  

New Orleans is buried in salary cap concerns, and QB Derek Carr still has two years of remaining on his $150 million contract. A new head coach in Kellen Moore just arrived to the franchise and won't commit to Carr as the answer under center. 

Sanders would provide the Saints with a relatively cheap alternative to Carr while the franchise attempts to rebuild the roster and simultaneously pull itself out of a bad cap situation. 

Beyond that, Sanders is pretty clearly the No. 2 prospect at the position. So while he does not represent a ton of value in the top two or three picks of the draft, his value grows significantly as the selections creep toward double-digits.