Early 2025 mock draft has Panthers taking Shedeur Sanders with No. 1 overall pick

A “way-too-early” 2025 mock draft from CBS Sports has the Panthers selected Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders . . . with the No. 1 overall pick.

The Carolina Panthers weren’t on the list of Deion Sanders’ preferred landing spots for his son Shedeur. But that didn’t stop CBS Sports writer Ryan Wilson from already projecting the University of Colorado star to the Queen City—and with next year’s No. 1 overall pick, no less.

Wilson, in his “way-too-early” 2025 mock draft, explains that a new quarterback may be on the horizon if the Panthers finish with the league’s worst record for the second year in a row:

If nothing else, using the betting odds means that, for the third straight year, the Panthers have the No. 1 overall pick. Hopefully first-year coach Dave Canales can get the most out of Bryce Young, but if that doesn’t happen … you’d have to imagine quarterback at No. 1 (for the second time in three drafts for Carolina) will be a talking point.

And with that pick, Wilson sends Sanders to Carolina:

Shedeur Sanders made huge strides in his first year as an FBS QB and he’ll be in the conversation with several other players to be the first quarterback drafted.

Sanders completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions in 2023.

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