Every year, reports emerge before the draft that depict an NFL prospect in a negative light. It’s difficult to assess the validity of the claims when nearly every source could potentially have an ulterior motive — some reports may come from teams that are attempting to hurt a prospect’s stock so they can draft him, while others may come from agents looking to improve their own prospects' draft stocks. Still, these reports often have an impact on where a player is ultimately drafted.
At the end of the 2024 college football season, the consensus was that Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, would be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. With his father as head coach, Sanders helped turn around two programs — Jackson State and Colorado — during his four-year collegiate career.
As the pre-draft process began to unfold, Sanders emerged as one of the most polarizing prospects in this year’s draft class. While confidence was a defining characteristic for Deion, reports after the NFL Scouting Combine suggested that the younger Sanders rubbed teams the wrong way. Anonymous sources from multiple teams claimed Sanders was “brash and arrogant” or “unprofessional and disinterested.”
New reports continue to hurt Shedeur Sanders’ draft stock
At the Combine, NFL prospects are asked for a short video interview with basic questions about managing stress and assessing areas of growth. Shedeur’s answers often shared “more than the question asked for,” ESPN’s Kalyn Kahler reported.
Sanders’ stock has continuously plummeted since the Combine. Just three months after being considered the top overall pick, Sanders has fallen to the No. 9 overall pick on the consensus big board by NFL Mock Draft Database. Some recent mock drafts even have the embattled quarterback slipping down to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 overall.
During the Combine interview obtained by ESPN, Sanders discussed the pressures of being the son of an all-time great NFL player.
"I feel like nothing can faze me mentally, because I've been in the most high-pressure situation that there is to be known," Shedeur said. "That's the edge I have over any other player, because they haven't dealt with expectation immediately. See, a lot of people got to grow their name, and they had to build their name. They were nobody, then became someone. Being the son of my dad, you somebody [from the beginning]."
There are still plenty of positive traits for the 23-year-old quarterback. Sanders was seen as the most accurate and fundamentally sound prospect in this year’s quarterback class. His polished passing likely benefitted from the luxury of his father’s friendship with Tom Brady, who has served as a mentor for the Buffaloes’ quarterback. Sanders’ weaknesses, such as holding onto the ball too long or taking unnecessary risks, are mostly correctable flaws. Of course, all of the positives — and correctable negatives — will mean little if Sanders doesn’t work well with his next team and coaching staff.