Nov 16, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) appears to be like on earlier than the sport towards the Utah Utes at Folsom Area. Obligatory Credit score: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Photos We’ll ceaselessly bear in mind the 2025 NFL Draft due to Shedeur Sanders’ dramatic slide.
It’s unprecedented, actually. It’s the largest NFL Draft slide in all probability ever if you issue within the hype surrounding Sanders as a prospect and the accomplishments on the sector — turning round Jackson State and Colorado.
Whereas the media hype round Sanders was at all times fairly inflated, there’s no method he ought to nonetheless be on the board. Positive, he wasn’t a top-15, first-round expertise. That’s comprehensible. However the New Orleans Saints drafted Tyler Shough on Friday. The Cleveland Browns drafted Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel in Spherical 3.
These guys are under no circumstances, form or kind higher than Sanders, and actually no person anticipated them being drafted earlier than him.
As Sanders continues to be accessible heading into Spherical 4, everyone within the soccer world is making an attempt to make sense of how this occurred. Let’s speculate.
1. The Sanders camp overplayed their hand
From Day One, Deion Sanders proclaimed that there have been sure NFL organizations he wouldn’t permit his son to play for. He mentioned he would inform these groups professionally and privately.
Perhaps they overplayed their hand. Perhaps, simply perhaps, behind closed doorways, the Sanders household informed a number of organizations they wouldn’t play of their particular metropolis, phrase bought out, and now the league is colluding towards them.
The NFL isn’t the NBA. It was at all times going to be onerous for the Sanders household to attempt to Bronny James this factor. However that’s the perfect concept on why this occurred.
2. Perhaps Shedeur requested for method an excessive amount of cash
The problem with this concept is that we see totally assured rookie quarterback contracts actually yearly, so it’s not an unfathomable ask.
We all know that Sanders, who is likely one of the highest-paid school athletes within the historical past of the NIL period, has an affinity for the finer issues in life, and perhaps he had an unfair ask when assembly with groups who view him as a backup.
This looks like essentially the most far-fetched concept.
3. Groups don’t need Deion’s stress
Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders runs onto the sector earlier than the sport towards the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Area. Obligatory Credit score: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Photos Shedeur’s father has cemented himself as among the finest coaches in school soccer.
Love him or hate him, you possibly can’t ignore the truth that Colorado was the laughingstock of the nation and he had them bowl-eligible in two brief seasons.
Maybe groups suppose that in the event that they put severe draft capital, like a top-100 choose, into Shedeur, their proprietor could possibly be enticed to rent his father to interchange them. Whereas Coach Prime just lately signed a brand new mega deal to stay the lead man in Boulder, we all know that school soccer teaching contracts are fickle and it’s all concerning the buyout. Bear in mind, he did interview with the Dallas Cowboys just some brief months in the past.
Coach Prime’s social media handles are very lively, and if Shedeur had been to battle, there’s a practical probability the household can be fast to voice their opinion and diagnose what’s going unsuitable.
4. Shedeur can be NFL’s most polarizing backup
Apr 4, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) talks to ESPN after the College of Colorado NFL Showcase on the CU Indoor Follow Facility. Obligatory Credit score: Michael Ciaglo-Imagn Photos Due to the hype surrounding Sanders heading into this course of and the protection surrounding this fall within the NFL Draft, he would turn out to be essentially the most polarizing backup quarterback within the NFL.
It’s comprehensible why groups wouldn’t need the media circus surrounding a backup rookie quarterback. It’s a tricky sufficient job to be taught life within the NFL, however sprinkle within the in-season podcast and the encircling noise is likely to be an excessive amount of for a younger participant with loads too be taught.
5. Restricted marketplace for QBs
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, QB rooms across the NFL are nearly set. Even backup quarterbacks have been compensated properly this offseason, and groups doubtless aren’t searching for initiatives with the fanfare that Sanders would carry.
The Tennessee Titans drafted Cam Ward No. 1 general and solved their QB drawback. The New York Giants traded again in for Jaxson Dart. The Browns, Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers are three of the one groups that actually may’ve used Sanders because of lack of choices elsewhere, and so they in all probability simply didn’t see a match.
Factoring in that it’s a minimum of attainable the Sanders household informed a couple of groups they wouldn’t be keen to play in a given metropolis, that limits the choices for Shedeur even additional.
