A Historic NFL Draft Slide: How Top QB Prospect Became a Fifth-Round Pick
The NFL Draft is always unpredictable every single year. Predicting even the first five picks from a given draft is nearly impossible, so there are bound to be players that fall from their projected draft spot. However, the 2025 NFL Draft is unprecedented due to the slide of one player: Shedeur Sanders. Many mock drafts had Sanders going anywhere from the number-two pick to sliding down to the Steelers at number 21. What no one could predict was the Colorado signal-caller falling all the way down to the fifth round. There are a multitude of factors that contributed to his draft stock plummeting so much, which will be analyzed in this piece.
Deion’s Impact on Shedeur
It’s impossible to address the young quarterback’s full career without mentioning his father, NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. Deion has coached his son for practically all his life, serving as an offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian School, his son’s high school. ESPN and 247Sports rated Shedeur as a four-star recruit out of high school, leading to him committing to Florida Atlantic University before switching over to Jackson State when Deion was hired as head coach there. At Jackson State, Shedeur compiled 6,983 passing yards, completing 68 percent of his passes with 79 total touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Then, Deion accepted the job as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, prompting Shedeur to come with him to continue his college career. At Colorado, Shedeur threw for 7,364 yards, completing 71 percent of his passes, and threw 72 total touchdowns to go along with 13 interceptions. In 2024, Shedeur recorded many accolades by being awarded the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and earning Second-Team All-American honors while also breaking Colorado’s single-season passing yards and passing touchdowns records.
Shedeur’s Draft Profile
On the field, Shedeur had a lot going for him, which is why he was seen by many draft analysts as a top-three quarterback prospect. The positives of his game show that he’s a poised, accurate passer who excels in short to intermediate throws. On the flip side, he’s been criticized for taking too many unnecessary sacks due to drifting backward instead of climbing the pocket, and his ability to identify complex defensive packages, as seen in his final game against BYU, has been a concern as well. In a very mediocre quarterback class, Shedeur stood out as a top-three prospect, but many NFL teams didn’t want the baggage that comes along with him.
Leadership Came Into Question After Tough Loss
Now, we’ll get into the off-the-field stuff. As a quarterback, Shedeur is held to a very high standard, needing to be a very intelligent player to break down and exploit defenses as well as be a leader of men. His leadership qualities had come under scrutiny while he was in Colorado, though. After a loss to Nebraska in Week Two this past season, Shedeur criticized his offensive line. When asked about how establishing a balanced attack could help the team, he responded with, “How many times did Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola get touched?” That quote came after the quarterback went to the locker room with two minutes remaining in the game, leaving his teammates to finish the game without him. With NFL executives always watching, that wasn’t a great look for Shedeur and may have played into his falling in the draft.
Disastrous Interviews Highlight NFL Concerns With Shedeur
The real meat and potatoes of his slip into the fifth round were not only his off-the-field issues, but specifically his pre-draft process. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, a longtime NFL coach didn’t mince words about Shedeur’s interview with the team. “ The worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life,” said the coach. “He's so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates. ... but the biggest thing is, he's not that good." This coach was no fan of Shedeur, but he didn’t go on the record; however, one NFL head coach reportedly had a bad interview and wasn’t left anonymous. According to longtime draft analyst Todd McShay, Giants coach Brian Daboll and Shedeur didn’t exactly get along in their interview. "Shedeur didn't have a great interview with Brian Daboll in a private visit," McShay said. An installation package came in. Preparation wasn't there for it. [He] got called out on it. Didn't like that. Brian didn't appreciate him not liking it." This may have played a role in why the Giants passed on him for another quarterback.
Browns Humble Sanders Family
Shedeur being an above-average prospect in a below-average quarterback class, coupled with his leadership questions and entitlement concerns, is what contributed to his fall. Also, the fact that his father was vocal about not playing for certain teams rubbed some teams the wrong way. "That's my son,” said Deion. “It's not who I would like him to play for. There are a couple of teams I won't allow him to play for. This is my profession. I know what's behind the curtain." As it turned out, beggars can’t be choosers, as he was the second quarterback drafted by the Browns in 2025. When all is said and done, Shedeur will have to fight for his spot on the team. The QB room now has five names: Shedeur, Dillon Gabriel, Deshaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, and Joe Flacco. It will certainly be an entertaining training camp and preseason in Cleveland to see who takes the reins under center.
