On April 24, the first of seven NFL draft rounds began at Lambeau Field and the adjacent Titletown District. The NFL Draft, however, was laced with controversy, as projected blue-chip first-round pick Shedeur Sanders, the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, slid to the 144th overall pick.
Projected by the NFL scouting report to be a first-round pick, analysts widely viewed Sanders as the second-best QB in the draft behind Cameron Ward, the Tennessee Titans’ first-overall pick. Sanders put up a conference-leading 4,134 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns at the University of Colorado Boulder, earning All-Big-12 First-Team honors. According to PBS, however, alleged concerns over his locker room presence and lack of pocket mobility caused his draft stock to fall.
“For a player who had a variety of questions, both about the talent level, how he would fit into an NFL system, how he would adjust from his play style in college, but also about the potential culture shock of for the first time playing for someone who is not his father, there were opportunities that Shedeur Sanders could have taken there,” NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said. “He seemed to feel he was an elite category where he could choose the few teams he wanted to go to.”
During the pre-draft process, Sanders declined an invitation to work out at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, but still engaged with the press at the event.
“If you [aren’t] trying to change the culture, don’t get me,” Sanders said at the end of a press conference. This statement, along with concerns about his cocky and “flashy” attitude, according to one anonymous NFL scout, contributed to making Sanders one of the most polarizing prospects in recent memory.
As a result, several teams with a need for a quarterback — including the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers — bypassed selecting Sanders in the first round. This shocked Sanders and his friends and family, who, according to Fox News, constructed an elaborate draft room in anticipation of Sanders becoming a first-round pick.
On the second draft day, Sanders received a prank call from Jax Ulbrich, the son of Falcons Defensive Coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, posing as New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis in which he falsely claimed Sanders was going to be selected. Since the incident, the NFL has issued two fines — $200,000 to the Falcons and $100,000 to Ulbrich — for the information leak of Sanders’ phone number.
After the prank call, Sanders continued to slide until the Cleveland Browns selected him in the 5th round with the 144th overall pick, making Sanders the 5th quarterback selected in the draft and the second quarterback drafted by the Browns.
“We felt like he was a good solid prospect at the most important position,” Browns Executive Vice President and General Manager Andrew Berry said. “We view him as a highly accurate pocket passer who does a good job of taking care of the ball.”
“I would say I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity, throughout everything. I don’t ever focus on the negative or even think about the negative because the positive happens so fast, and it’s a change of emotions,” Sanders said in an interview, emphasizing his motivation to compete for a position on the roster. According to Sanders, he thrives when faced with adversity and will take the competition and challenges in stride.
“What fuels me is my purpose in life and understanding the route that we’re gonna have to take,” he added, acknowledging his desire to prove the teams who denied him an opportunity wrong. “I’m just thankful for the opportunity. The rest is on me.”
As Sanders participates in minicamp, he will have an uphill battle to the starting job, but he is confident that he will be able to showcase his talents and solidify his place on the team.
