The Cleveland Browns selected Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the 144th pick in the 2025 NFL draft, a surprising fall for a player with impressive statistics.
Sanders dropped to the fifth round despite his accuracy and production in college, raising questions about why 143 prospects were chosen ahead of him in what analysts described as a weak draft class.
FOX Sports analyst Colin Cowherd believes Deion Sanders, Shedeur’s father and college coach, may be responsible for his son’s draft position.
“Watching the NFL draft this year on both ESPN and the NFL Network was maddening,” Cowherd said. “‘I can’t understand why he’s dropping. What in the world is happening’? That is happening. That’s why I like the tact that Arch Manning and his family are doing. They’re staying in the shadows. That’s where all the real power is in life. Get out in the sun and get burned. Deion was in the sun. Deion spent too much time on television talking. Quarterback Dad has become Pageant Mom.”
NFL scouts reportedly had concerns about Sanders’s processing ability and athleticism, though many draft experts questioned if these issues alone explained his significant draft slide.
The NIL era in college football has led to more parental involvement in player careers, with Deion Sanders serving as both coach and career manager throughout Shedeur’s time at Colorado.
Sanders now joins a four-quarterback competition in Cleveland where he’ll need to earn his position without his father’s direct involvement.
The Browns have not announced whether Sanders will compete for the starting job immediately or develop behind veterans on the roster.
