The Cleveland Browns selected Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, just one day after drafting another quarterback. The Browns now have five quarterbacks on their roster.
Sanders, once projected as a potential first-round pick, saw his draft stock fall significantly in recent weeks.
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith suggested the quarterback’s relationship with his father, Deion Sanders, contributed to his slide down draft boards.
“NFL teams don’t want to deal with Shedeur Sanders because of his dad’s influence and they ‘can’t admit it,'” Smith said. “[Shedeur’s] not gonna just take instructions … he’s going to challenge your football intellect.”
Fellow ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. strongly disagreed with this assessment.
“I think it’s disgusting. I don’t understand what the heck’s going on with this… I don’t see, outside of [not having] the rocket arm, 4.6 speed, [6’3″, 230-pound frame], what is [Shedeur Sanders] lacking? Somebody’s gonna have to explain that one to me,” Kiper said.
Sources indicate the New York Giants initially showed interest in Sanders, but a poor interview with head coach Brian Daboll reportedly damaged his standing with the team. Sanders allegedly didn’t respond well to criticism during these meetings.
The financial implications of Sanders’ draft position are substantial. As the third overall pick, he would have received a rookie contract worth approximately $45 million. His fifth-round selection instead comes with a contract valued at roughly $4 million – a $41 million difference.
Despite this setback, Sanders has expressed a desire to focus on football rather than his draft position.
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