Shedeur Sanders emphasized that he is grateful for the opportunity at this level, stating, "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is." He believes that everyone wants this chance and expresses confidence in his identity and abilities, saying, "I know who I am as a person. I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance."
Arch Manning, the Texas third-year sophomore, is considered one of the hottest names in college football, yet he has only two starts and hasn't proven himself NFL-ready.
Penix's "athletic arrogance" is a key to both his potential and his success - but it could also be his downfall. Finding the balance is going to be key for the second-year signal caller. When it works, it really impresses, showcasing his ability to make plays under pressure and command the field. However, if not managed well, it could lead to overconfidence and mistakes that undermine his development as a reliable starting quarterback.
While Johnny Newton only managed two sacks in his rookie year, his quickness and disruptive ability in the run game were positively noted, reflecting his potential to impact the defense positively.
The biggest thing that taught me last year is that I learned how to be unselfish. I learned how to put the team over my individual goals and what I wanted to accomplish, and so that's the biggest thing coming here.
"It was surreal, honestly," Noel said. "The pick was in, my name got called and immediately I thought about Jayden. That is my guy; we have been playing together for the last two years. He called me, and we were just excited to be able to work with each other again and get to it."
"Even if the actual attendance number falls short of the 1 million visitors... the NFL draft is guaranteed to attract more visitors when it returns to D.C. in 2027 than it did the only previous time it was held in the District."