One of the top storylines on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL draft was Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders falling out of the first round. Sanders was expected to be a first-round pick in the draft, and it was only until the days leading up to the draft that there was increased speculation he might not even go in the first round at all.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott similarly experienced what it's like to fall in the draft, and was not picked until the fourth round in 2016. After Sanders didn't get picked in the first round, Prescott shared his take and noted that he feels this will only make Sanders better.
"I don't think it's fair in the sense of how much people are looking for and towards him being drafted," Prescott said. "As I stated, it doesn't matter when you get in. I know he expected himself to go No. 1 overall, and he would be wrong if he didn't expect himself to be there. Every pick after that hurts, but I know every pick after that is fuel to the fire.
"The little that I know of Shedeur, talking to him, this is only going to make him better, this is only going to push him. As I said, it's all about when you get into this business. When you get him, you can handle it. I know Shedeur can handle it, he's been through a lot, he's had pressure his whole life, so this will be no different."
“Every pick after that is fuel is the fire.”
— DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) April 25, 2025
Dak Prescott speaks on Shedeur Sanders not being selected in yesterday’s first round draft class. pic.twitter.com/dNFS89jvPd
Prescott's takeaway wasn't too different from Sanders's. On Thursday after his first-round fall, Sanders also said the fall will only add "fuel to the fire."
"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like with God anything's possible," Sanders said. "I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstance, we all know this shouldn't have happened, but we understand we're on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow's the day, we're going to be happy regardless. Legendary."
It's unclear how far Sanders will fall before he's taken, but he next gets the opportunity to be drafted on Friday when rounds two and three of the draft take place.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dak Prescott Has Encouraging Words on Shedeur Sanders After Falling Out of First Round .
