The Rise and Fall of Shedeur Sanders
The Rise and Fall of Shedeur Sanders
With the 144th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected quarterback Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado. But instead of celebration, the Browns’ war room looked more like a corporate board meeting—awkward golf claps and blank stares. No cheers, no high-fives. It raised one big question: was this pick a football decision or an ownership directive?
The Browns now have five quarterbacks on the roster, including Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, taken 50 picks earlier at 94. For Shedeur, that means a crowded depth chart and an uphill battle for relevance.
The Journey So Far
Shedeur Sanders, son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, started his college career at Jackson State, throwing for nearly 7,000 yards and 70 touchdowns in two seasons. With Deion at the helm, Jackson State went 23–3 and won back-to-back SWAC Championships.
When Coach Prime moved to Colorado, Shedeur followed. But it wasn’t just a transfer—it was a roster overhaul. Over 50 scholarship players left through the transfer portal. In stepped Shedeur, again QB1 under his father.
At Colorado, he put up big numbers: 7,364 passing yards, 64 touchdowns, just 13 picks, and a completion rate north of 71%. But team success was modest—Colorado went 13–12 in those two years.
Still, off the field, Shedeur was a star. He was one of the top NIL earners in the country, landing deals with Nike, Gatorade, Google, and more. His valuation reportedly reached $4.7 million. He even dropped a hip-hop single, Perfect Timing, in May 2024.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders celebrates by flexing his watch after playing Arizona State.
The Draft Process: Hype vs. Reality
Coming into draft season, expectations were sky-high—especially from Deion, who publicly said he didn’t want Shedeur playing in cold-weather cities or with teams that struggle to develop quarterbacks. He believed Shedeur was a top-five pick.
The problem? NFL teams didn’t agree.
Although invited, Shedeur skipped the Senior Bowl, choosing instead to attend—but not play in—the East–West Shrine Bowl. At the Combine, he showed up only for interviews, declining to participate in any on-field drills. That decision didn’t go unnoticed.
During interviews with National Football Scouting, Shedeur gave long, confident responses. When asked about pressure, he said:
“I feel like nothing can faze me mentally, because I've been in the most high-pressure situation there is. That's the edge I have over any other player.”
He told the camera directly:
“Going to an NFL franchise isn't going to change anything for me—it's just another day in the life.”
Compared to other top QBs like Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, who kept things measured, Shedeur’s delivery was bold—and for some scouts, off-putting.
Media Mania and the Kiper Meltdown
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. fanned the flames. At one point, he ranked Shedeur as the top QB in the class. When Sanders fell to the fifth round, Kiper snapped, blasting NFL front offices for their “clueless” QB evaluations.
“The NFL has been clueless for 50 years when it comes to evaluating quarterbacks,” Kiper said. “They don’t know what they’re doing. That’s proof.”
Kiper, of course, has a history of doubling down—even when he’s way off. Jimmy Clausen, JaMarcus Russell, David Carr—his QB misses are well-documented.
Instead of celebrating all 32 teams’ picks, he turned the spotlight solely on Shedeur, making the moment more about vindication than the players.
The Fallout
Multiple post-Combine reports cited team sources calling Shedeur "brash and arrogant" and "uninterested" in team meetings. Others said he didn’t fit the typical QB evaluation mold.
One executive reportedly said:
“We can’t use our usual formula to evaluate Shedeur. He doesn’t hit the standard character benchmarks.”
That, combined with his pre-draft absence from key showcases, may explain his slide down draft boards.
So What Now?
Was Shedeur’s fall about talent? Attitude? Distractions? Or was it just the cost of being the son of Deion Sanders in a league that values humility and hunger over hype?
He’s now one of five QBs in Cleveland. No promises, no red carpets. For once, Shedeur has to earn his spot without the benefit of being handpicked.
Welcome to the NFL. The narrative is yours to rewrite—but you’ll have to do it on the field.
