Former NFL MVP Reveals Troubling Details About Shedeur Sanders' Pre-Draft Process

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Borba | Last updated Apr 28, 2025 8:22 PM ET

The 2025 NFL Draft will forever be remembered as the year Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders went from projected top pick to fifth-round pick.

The son of Deion Sanders quickly became the biggest headline of the draft as teams that he was linked to throughout the pre-draft process repeatedly passed on him, while five other quarterbacks went before him.

While there has been much speculation as to why Sanders fell as much as he did, Boomer Esiason, former Cincinnati Bengals star quarterback and the league's MVP in 1988, revealed what he was told by NFL personnel. As explained by Esiason, multiple owners demanded that Sanders be taken off their team's draft board due to his attitude and how he conducted himself in the pre-draft process.

"They took him off," Esiason said. "And they took him off because the owner said 'Take him off. I don't want that guy.' Shedeur Sanders just torpedoed himself. His attitude off the field, at the combine. His dad didn't help him either. He was on podcasts talking about 'This is my son. If I can get him to where I want to get him to, I'm going to do that.' But you know when you listen to this kid talk right prior or at the combine, about 'If you want a new culture in your locker room I'm the guy to do that. I can turn it around.' I mean he's very high on himself."

Esiason didn't stop there, as he later added that Sanders' attitude turned off a lot of teams to the point where he was practically viewed as untouchable.

"I think he was very off-putting to many many coaches and general managers in the league," Esiason said. "I'm telling you right now and I know this after talking to three different personnel people this weekend. They didn't even have him on his board, on their board. They took him off. And they took him off because the owner said 'Take him off."

With a quarterback room that already has Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel, who was drafted before Sanders, it could be an uphill battle to earn a roster spot for the Colorado quarterback.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: