Context:

Shedeur Sanders, a quarterback from Colorado, sensed early on that the New York Giants were unlikely to draft him, as he did not have a successful pre-draft meeting with the team's coaches. Although initially considered a strong candidate for the Giants, their focus shifted to Jaxson Dart, whom they traded up for at the end of the first round. Reports from ESPN's Jeremy Fowler revealed that Sanders openly admitted to not connecting well with the Giants' coaching staff, which significantly influenced the team's decision. The Giants' decision-making process included a thorough evaluation of all options, and their eventual choice of Abdul Carter with their third overall pick further demonstrated their shift away from Sanders. Ultimately, Sanders fell to the fifth round, a surprising development given his potential as a Day 1 draft pick, underscoring the importance of team fit and interpersonal connections during pre-draft evaluations.

Dive Deeper:

• Shedeur Sanders realized early in the pre-draft process that the New York Giants were not likely to choose him due to an unsuccessful meeting with the coaching staff, which he later acknowledged in discussions with other teams.

• Although initially seen as a top choice for the Giants, their decision to trade up for Jaxson Dart in the first round indicated a clear preference for another direction, possibly due to a lack of rapport with Sanders.

• ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Sanders candidly acknowledged his poor connection with the Giants' coaches, which was a key factor in their decision to look elsewhere during the NFL Draft.

• The Giants conducted extensive evaluations during the offseason, initially favoring Sanders, but eventually shifted their focus to Abdul Carter, whom they selected with the third overall pick.

• Sanders' surprising drop to the fifth round, despite expectations of being a strong Day 1 selection, highlights the critical role that team fit and interpersonal relationships play in the draft process.

• The New York Giants made it clear what their thoughts were about Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

• Though they didn't come out and say it, the decision to trade up for Jaxson Dart at the end of the first round made it obvious who their preference was.

• Reports emerged after the draft that Sanders didn't have a strong meeting with the Giants during the pre-draft process.

• And according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Sanders admitted as much when he met with other teams.

• "While the Giants worked out Shedeur Sanders the week before the draft, Sanders sensed much earlier that New York probably wasn't in the cards for him. Sanders openly acknowledged during the predraft process that he didn't hit it off with Giants coaches, per a source," Fowler wrote.

• The Giants made sure to turn over every stone throughout the offseason and while they were initially viewed as the favorites to land Sanders, that quickly changed when they pivoted their interest to Abdul Carter at No. 3 overall.

• Sanders wound up falling all the way to the fifth round in what was a shocking development considering most believed him to be a strong option for Day 1 of the draft.

• Meshing well with the coaching staff was a key part of the process for the Giants and with Sanders failing to hit it off, it makes sense why New York went in a different direction.