Shedeur Sanders is still waiting — after three rounds of the NFL Draft, 102 picks and five quarterbacks selected ahead of Coach Prime’s highly touted son.
The Colorado quarterback was widely considered a first-round talent. But his stunning slide continued Friday night when his name wasn’t called in the second or third round.
Sanders was arguably the most recognizable player in the country entering the draft — largely because of his father, Deion Sanders, the Pro Football Hall of Famer who brought an innovative, publicity-seeking approach to college coaching at Jackson State and then Colorado. Shedeur Sanders played for his dad at both schools and finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting last season as the pair revitalized the Buffaloes program.
NFL talent evaluators were apparently less impressed than draft analysts realized. Few if any mock drafts had Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe or Dillon Gabriel getting picked before Sanders, but that’s what happened.
Here’s how Sanders, the NFL world and even the president reacted to Sanders still being available.
Shedeur Sanders
“Thank you GOD for EVERYTHING,” Sanders posted on X during the third round.
Deion Sanders
“Tomorrow’s the day. We’re going to be happy regardless,” Sanders said in a video posted on YouTube Thursday night.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton
Last year, Payton drafted Bo Nix, who led the Broncos to the playoffs as a rookie. While he wasn’t looking for a QB this year, Denver’s head coach still weighed in on the Sanders situation.
Payton, who has watched Sanders play since junior high, said the quarterback will now have a “chip on his shoulder.”
“Beware, because this guy’s gonna play in this league,” Payton continued.
Browns GM Andrew Berry
“The time that we spent with Shedeuer was impressive and he’s an impressive young man,” Berry told reporters. “Sometimes fit comes into play.”
The Browns selected Gabriel, who played at Oregon last year after stints at Central Florida and Oklahoma, with the No. 94 pick. Cleveland had five picks in the first three rounds and has a clear need at quarterback after the team got little production out of Deshaun Watson, who will miss the upcoming season with a torn Achilles tendon. Gabriel joins Kenny Pickett and 40-year-old Joe Flacco in the Browns’ quarterback room.
“The Facility” co-host Chase Daniel
Longtime NFL backup quarterback Chase Daniel, who is also a co-host of FS1’s “The Facility” said Sanders is in “backup territory” now.
“He needs to help the starter in any way possible. Can Shedeur do that? Is Shedeur willing to do that? These are the questions teams need to ask,” Daniel said. “What team is willing to take on the media storm?”
FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt
Klatt called Sanders’ drop “stunning” and after noting the prospect hadn’t hired an agent, he added, “I don’t think you can go back [to college].”
Former NFL QB Robert Griffin III
RG3 made his thoughts clear, calling Sanders’ slide “RIDICULOUS” in all-caps.
President Donald Trump
Trump mused in a social media post that teams were “STUPID” for passing on Sanders — after Thursday’s first round.
“What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID?” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and was even greater in the NFL. He’s also a very good coach, streetwise and smart! Therefore, Shedeur, his quarterback son, has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness. He should be ‘picked’ IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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