With the NFL Draft only hours away (8:00 PM ET Thursday, 4/24), the first round is as uncertain as ever. While not rated as the best player in the draft, it seems the only pick set in stone is Cam Ward going first overall to the Tennessee Titans. This makes sense, as the Titans are the only team guaranteed to get the player they want, so there seems to be no benefit in hiding their intentions. For the other 31 teams in the NFL, things are a lot less clear. It seems like OT Will Campbell (LSU), DE Abdul Carter (Penn State), and Heisman winner WR Travis Hunter (Colorado) are all likely to be top ten picks (if not top five), but the teams selecting these young talents are still undetermined.

 

    The player whose draft profile has most dramatically shifted prior to the draft has undoubtedly been QB Shedeur Sanders from the University of Colorado. At the start of the offseason, it seemed inevitable that Ward and Sanders would go first and second overall, the order being determined by various workouts and displays of speed, accuracy, and decision-making.

 

    However, since then, Ward has become the consensus first pick, as criticism about Sanders’ arm strength and decision-making has tanked his draft stock. The cliché “his game won’t translate to the professional level” has been levied against Sanders, and pundits have decided that he shouldn’t be taken with the first pick in the draft. While many see him as a potential savior, others see him as a risk to their franchise, leading to whispers of him falling out of the first round entirely.

 

    Mark my words: this will not happen. Shedeur Sanders will be taken within the first round of the NFL Draft (and almost certainly within the top ten picks). It will likely be to a team like the Saints, Browns, or Steelers, who seem desperately hungry for a top quarterback prospect. It might even be a team like the Rams, whose own star quarterback is injury-prone and 37 years old.

 

    The truth is, any team would be happy to spend a single first-round pick on Sanders if they fall into a certain category. Whether they appear to have ‘their guy’ or not, if they’ve been pushed out of relevancy, Sanders is a legitimate option. Despite the criticism about decision-making and potentially lacking a professional skill set, nobody can deny that the kid has a lot of confidence.

 

    His reported swagger may have come from a combination of playing at Jackson State with superstar (and fellow top prospect) Travis Hunter, absolutely dominating weaker competition (and sustaining this success in the Big 12), and being the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders. Front offices and coaches from all 32 teams know the importance of having these kinds of guys in the locker room.

 

From the second they land in your city, there is a level of excitement for all involved that cannot be replicated by any other phenomenon. Even if pundits claim they don’t have the skill set or physical ability to achieve at the highest level, there is still the belief that they can have peak success.

 

    What coaches and GMs also know is that this confidence and swagger is infectious. It starts in the QB room and then spreads to the O-line. Then it’s the entire offense. Then the defense. This intoxicating belief in the possibilities creates an unstoppable urge to thrive.

 

    Some may call him a prima donna; others will say he knows his worth. Bottom line is that Shedeur Sanders knows he can play and won’t let anyone tell him otherwise. Along with the swagger he would bring to the organization, he would instantly draw new fans to the team that picks him. Sanders is the closest thing to a celebrity in this year’s draft, and any team that picks him would earn serious media and fan attention.

 

    The Sanders Effect is twofold. Firstly, Sanders’ own infectious energy will invigorate the team, strengthening belief and confidence within the organization. Secondly, it gives the team a stronger outlook, which makes them more attractive in free agency, further propelling them into relevancy. This ability, this ‘Sanders Effect,’ has the potential to turn a franchise around. For teams needing direction and a new identity, Sanders is the guy. Only one team wins the Super Bowl, and for the other 31 teams, there is a need to reinforce their identity. A first-round pick is a small price to pay to get some swagger back in a team. For teams in need of a confidence boost and brighter outlook, Sanders is the man.