Russell Erxleben was the bigger shock, as he was taken by the New Orleans Saints with the 11th pick of the first round. The Saints had never had a winning season in their 12-year history when they picked Erxleben, and he definitely wasn't the missing piece as he lasted only five years with the team.

The dominating storyline of the 2025 draft was the status of Sanders, creating dramatic TV moments featuring Kiper.

Shedeur Sanders was not the usual 144th pick and his situation transcended football. The narrative around Sanders blurred lines between sports, race and culture.