Why Did Shedeur Sanders Fall in the NFL Draft?

Overview

At the start of last year’s college football season, many NFL experts had predicted Shedeur Sanders to be picked first overall in last week’s draft. However, cut to today, and the 23-year-old quarterback was picked 144th in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns.

Sanders’ draft stock may have fallen slightly throughout last season, with some experts arguing he takes too many unnecessary sacks, as well as lacking top-level arm strength, but he was still a consensus first-round pick.

Some mock drafts had him going as high as number three to the New York Giants, and many had the Pittsburgh Steelers taking him at 21. Either of these outcomes would have had Sanders as the second quarterback to be drafted, but in the end, he wasn’t even the first quarterback drafted by his team. The question is, what caused this unprecedented slide?

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As stated, there were some concerns over his ability, but he had shown enough quality to cement himself as at least one of the three most talented quarterbacks in this year’s draft class. The main issues teams seem to have with Sanders is all off-field. 

Questions Over Attitude

Last month a member of NFL staff spoke on Sanders’ time at a pre-draft scouting combine. They stated that he came across as “brash and arrogant” and during his interviews seemed “unprofessional and disinterested.”

Additionally, it was recently reported by the Ringer that Sanders had a bad private workout and subsequent meeting with the New York Giants, clashing with Head Coach Brian Daboll. The report states that the former Colorado QB came into the meeting unprepared, and when called out on it, responded in a way that offended the Giants’ coach.

Finally, an anonymous assistant coach said that their meeting with Sanders was the “worst formal interview” he had ever been part of. This same assistant also voiced concern over the QB’s history of blaming his teammates, particularly his offensive line, after losses.

Another problem often cited is Shedeur’s father, NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. The former Dallas Cowboys defensive back has not only been a parent but also Shedeur’s college head coach and agent. This opened up two issues with NFL front offices: Firstly, it could be argued that Deion’s style of play at Colorado was designed to protect and enhance his son’s perception.

Furthermore, Deion has a reputation for being vocal with his opinion. Now, when you’re widely regarded as the greatest cornerback ever to grace the sport, this can work; however, NFL executives questioned whether having Sander’s father potentially questioning team decisions would be worth it for a player of Shedeur’s ability.

The NFL’s Problem with Black QB’s

On the other hand, Sanders’ supporters argue that this is just another example of the NFL showing bias towards a specific type of black quarterback. Historically, there has been a well-known reluctance from NFL teams to employ a black quarterback.

This has improved in recent seasons with this year’s number one pick, Cam Ward, being an example. However, team owners and executives are still reluctant to take chances on black QB’s they view as too ‘in your face’. You need look no further than the way Colin Kaepernick was hounded out of the league.

So, whilst his critics call Sanders arrogant and abrasive, others would argue that this is another example of the league being offended by a confident and outspoken young black man.

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What the Future Holds

Overall, this whole saga has, if anything, added intrigue to the new Cleveland Browns quarterback. He’s undeniably a very talented player in terms of his quality on the field and is going into a team where the starting spot is up for grabs.

The question remaining is whether teams were right to pass on this high-potential prospect in the NFL draft due to off-field questions, or have they just added fuel to the fire of a future top QB?

Matt Knight is a recently trained sports journalist based out of London. He covers a number of sports including but not limited to, Football, Cricket, Boxing, MMA, F1, Basketball, Tennis, and American Football.