The Miami Dolphins made three picks in the 2025 NFL Draft before the Cleveland Browns used the No. 144 overall selection on University of Colorado product Shedeur Sanders and took him off the board. Interestingly, Miami even had the No. 143 overall choice, the pick leading up to Sanders’ selection, but the team used that pick on defensive lineman Jordan Phillips.
What makes Miami’s decision to pass on Sanders notable is that the team was evidently in the market for a quarterback in the latter stages of the draft. After all, the Dolphins drafted quarterback Quinn Ewers in the seventh round with the No. 231 overall pick.
Meanwhile, Sanders has already displayed tantalizing potential. He got his first NFL start in Cleveland’s preseason bout against the Carolina Panthers on Friday and turned heads with his play in that contest. Sanders threw two touchdowns compared to zero interceptions and also completed all but nine of his 23 passing attempts in a game Cleveland won handily.
In training camp, he has seemingly taken care of business to this point, though he’s had limited opportunities and hasn’t gotten any reps in with the first-team offense. Remember, the 23-year-old had an electric career in college and wasn’t supposed to drop as far as he did in the draft.
Let’s break down why the Dolphins should and should not have taken Sanders with one of their many picks in April’s draft.
Why the Dolphins should’ve taken Sanders
For as long as Tua Tagovailoa is Miami’s starting quarterback, it will be important for the Dolphins to have depth at the all-important position. Tagovailoa is injury-prone to the point where Miami needs to have legit insurance behind him, at least if it wants to remain competitive during any time he misses and avoid a repeat of last season.
Ewers will fit in as one of Miami’s depth options at quarterback this season. Sanders could have played the same role. History suggests there’s a significant chance that Tagovailoa will miss at least some of Miami’s 17-game slate. Tagovailoa has played in every possible game in just one of his first five NFL seasons, and he was limited to 11 appearances in the 2024 season.
Furthermore, Sanders would have given the Dolphins a high-ceiling development option behind Tagovailoa and a fallback option in case Miami eventually decides to end the Tagovailoa experiment or injuries shorten his pro career. Having a long-term project at quarterback can be a good thing, especially when you aren’t expecting the guy to start in the immediate future.
Sanders might have starter potential at the highest level and a bright future ahead of him, and folks can’t blame Dolphins fans for being disappointed that the team didn’t opt to take a flier on him.
Why the Dolphins shouldn’t have taken Sanders
There is a really compelling argument that the Dolphins should have drafted Sanders, but there’s also a real case that Miami made the right decision in not adding him to the fold.
The addition of Sanders frankly could have created a distraction with a solidified starting quarterback already on the team. Some people likely would have been less patient with Tagovailoa if he were the one holding the team back from playing a highly talented and youthful prospect.
It’s a safe bet that if Tagovailoa started struggling for any stretch of time, some fans would’ve started calling for Sanders to get a look.
The Dolphins aren’t exactly in desperate need of a next-up option at the position at this point in time, either, at least through the lens of Tagovailoa’s contract situation. Tagovailoa is under club control through the 2028 season. Drafting Sanders would have made more sense if Tagovailoa were on track to soon become a free agent.
Last but not least, folks can’t be all that critical of the quarterback Miami ended up selecting, Ewers, because the young man has had a strong camp up to this point. He deserves a chance to show that he was a smart pick.
What’s the verdict?
All in all, while there are valid reasons to be for and against Miami’s choice not to draft Sanders, there are still too many questions that need to be answered on the field before anyone can come to any real conclusions about how to feel.
The verdict: It’s too soon to point fingers.
Sanders has yet to even suit up in a regular-season game at the highest level, and the same goes for Ewers. Folks should at least see how the 2025 campaign pans out for both Ewers and Sanders before developing any firm opinions.
Still, it’s possible that Sanders will soon make the Dolphins eat crow for passing on him, as the start of the 2025 season is less than one month away for the Browns. Time will tell if he enjoys a standout rookie season and gets ample opportunities to produce.
