Shedeur Sanders draft drama was a lesson in humility for the Sanders family. His fall down the selection order was not expected and had the NFL fans and pundits surprised as to the NFL teams choice to steer clear of him. He would eventually be selected by the Cleveland Browns as the 144th pick in the fifth round. Most mock drafts had him being selected between the first and third rounds. So what happened? What led to his fall from draft grace? Some have revealed their opinions recently and it has a lot to do with his, and his fathers, attitude.
What led Shedeur Sanders to this draft day in 2025?
The career of Shedeur Sanders was always going to be influenced by his father, Deion Sanders. Deion Sanders had a stellar career on the field as a player. He played in the NFL from 1989 to 2005, with five teams. He won two Super Bowls (XXIX with the 49ers and XXX with the Cowboys), and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1994. His flashy persona made him a success off the field as well.
With that kind of father, Shedeur Sanders was almost always going to be a football player, all the Sanders boys would. With a charismatic father that enjoyed the limelight off the field, the attention on young Shedeur was immense from a young age. His father controlled his playing career so far and was publicly looking to continue with the trend. Looking to establish a dynasty of sorts, similar to the Manning’s.
However, the problem that Shedeur seemed to have was his sense of entitlement. With his interviews with prospective teams he was more concerned with his outfit and his $100,000 chain than making a good impression. One NFL assistant stated that after leaving a meeting with Shedeur and a certain team, that it had been the worst interaction he has seen in his career. That’s a poor reflection on Deion, the man responsible for shaping him into the person he is now.
What were the teams thinking on draft weekend about Shedeur Sanders?
The problems apparently began early for Shedeur. His father was his college coach and no doubt influenced his son’s actions and demeanor. He chose to skip the combine and did not impress on his Pro-day. The Giants spent an awful lot of time with the young quarterback in the season leading up to the draft. More than any other team in fact. So what happened? The Giants opted for Jaxson Dart out of Mississippi as their quarterback for the draft.
The Raiders were another team that showed interest in Shedeur early on. However, we must consider they are a organization that is trying to rebuild. Not to mention the Tom Brady connection and the idea of Shedeur and Tom Brady being in the same organization was a little crazy. They ended up going with the running back Ashton Jeanty which emphasized their running game plans. The mock drafts ended up very wrong, as usual.
Another team that was on his radar was the Saints. Their first choice in the draft ended up being Kelvin Banks Jr., an offensive tackle out of Texas. They would end up going in a very different direction as their Round 2 Pick was Tyler Shough, a quarterback from Louisville. They also agreed terms with 11 undrafted free agents, which gives them a whole lot more power in their squad.
Can Shedeur Sanders make an impact in Cleveland for the Browns?
Legacies are a big thing in the NFL. The Sanders family were no doubt expecting a different result in Shedeurs draft experience. To his credit, he seemed to handle the situation a lot better than most would have expected. With a rumored call from the Browns during the draft asking him to make his case, Shedeur ended up at a team that has at least 5 other players all fighting for the top spot. Shedeur has a lot to do to prove his worth and shake the image that he made for himself before the draft. At least the Browns gave him a chance to make an appearance or two, maybe.
