"Don't think you can put them in the top 4 from last year": Former Raiders GM delivers his verdict on Shedeur Sanders & Cam Ward
Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward have distinguished themselves as the top two quarterbacks in April's NFL draft. All crops aren't equal, however, as six of last year's group of passers were taken in the top 12 picks of the draft.
Former NFL general manager Mike Mayock doesn't believe that Sanders and Ward measure up to the best of the 2024 selection of signal-callers.
"I don't think you can put them in the top four from last year," Mayock said on "The Rich Eisen Show" last Thursday. "I thought Bo Nix might be an interesting comparison for Shedeur. I think both of them are gonna have to go to a place that's a good fit for them.
"Realistically, Rich, you can go back over the last 20 years and look at the NFL draft in the first round at quarterbacks and, at best, it's a 50/50 proposition. And most of it's because kids get pushed up higher than they should go, and there's a bad fit."
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Caleb Williams (Chicago, No. 1), Jayden Daniels (Washington, No. 2), Drake Maye (New England, No. 3) and Michael Penix (Atlanta, No. 8) were the first four quarterbacks taken last year.
Is Bo Nix a good comparison for Shedeur Sanders?
Denver's Bo Nix went No. 12 overall last year. He guided the Broncos to a 10-7 record and a postseason appearance, passing for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in the process.
Much like Shedeur Sanders — and Cam Ward, for that matter — Nix spent a good deal of time at the college level and boosted his stock at his final stop. Mayock recognized that he didn't offer Nix enough credit this time last year, but stressed that the former Oregon triggerman's success hasn't been by mistake.
"I don't think I gave him enough love last year," Mayock said of Nix. "He was a better quarterback than I thought he was, but, most importantly, he went to a coach and a system that was a really good fit for him. They surrounded him, they put an infrastructure around him, not unlike Minnesota did with the USC retread (Sam Darnold) this year.
"For me, I think quarterbacks probably go too early most of the time, but most importantly, it's about the infrastructure and the fit."
Field Yates' latest ESPN mock draft has Ward going third to the New York Giants and Shedeur Sanders to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6.
"They can land the best pure passer in the draft right at No. 6," Yates wrote. "This season, Sanders trailed only Ward in touchdown passes (37) and was fourth in the FBS in passing yards (4,134). He throws with precision when given time and space in the pocket."
New Las Vegas head coach Pete Carroll already has a star target in tight end Brock Bowers. That would be the start of what would be built around Shedeur Sanders.