Deion Sanders Addresses Shedeur's Painful NFL Draft Slide

Shedeur was once projected as a first-round pick before watching his draft stock plummet with little public explanation. Coach Prime suggested his son's slide was not about talent, but perception. “My kids are built for everything,” Sanders said. “You’re not going to catch them in no foolery or no mess.”

When asked how it felt to watch Shedeur fall pick after pick, Sanders didn’t shy away from the emotional toll. “It did hurt, though,” he admitted.

In the same episode, Sanders also addressed the disappointment surrounding his other son, safety Shilo Sanders, who went undrafted but later signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"But the Bible says God uses the foolish things to confound the wise,” Sanders said. “There was some foolish stuff that went on, but that gave them something that they needed … that edge.”

Despite the setback, Shedeur has impressed early in his NFL journey. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told ESPN Cleveland, “I like everything there is about Shedeur. He’s done everything we’ve asked.”

The former Colorado standout is among the quarterbacks competing for the Browns' starting job, alongside fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. It's rare to have two NFL newcomers at QB drafted by the same team.

However, Cleveland has struggled for over two decades under center. Veteran free agent pickups Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett lead the group by default. Deshaun Watson is recovering from a second Achilles tear, but is unlikely to play in 2025.