Dec 28, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) warms up before the game against the Brigham Young Cougars at Alamodome. Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Justin Jefferson calls it 'crazy' Shedeur Sanders fell to the fifth round

Originally posted on Minnesota Vikings on SI
By Will Ragatz | Last updated May 3, 2025 3:05 PM ET

The single biggest storyline to come out of last weekend's NFL draft was the fall of Shedeur Sanders. The former Colorado quarterback and son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, long projected as a likely first-round pick, ended up dropping all the way to the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns took him with 144th overall pick.

Sanders' slide has been met with mixed reactions. Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson is among those who was shocked to see it happen. Jefferson is down at a Formula One racing event in Miami this week, and he was asked about Sanders in an interview with Bleacher Report.

"I think it's crazy that he dropped that far in the draft," Jefferson said. "I definitely don't think he should've dropped that far, just watching him the previous seasons and seeing the different things that he did at Colorado. I definitely thought that he should've been drafted in that first, second round. I guess it's just more fire for him and more chip on his shoulder that he can use going into the league."

As for where he thought Sanders should've gone, Jefferson suggested the Giants — "New York doesn't really have a quarterback," he said — and the Steelers, while noting it made a lot of sense for the Browns. Cleveland also took Oregon's Dillon Gabriel in the third round, so they now have two rookie quarterbacks joining 40-year-old Joe Flacco and former first-rounder Kenny Pickett in a unique QB room (Deshaun Watson is expected to miss the 2025 season with an injury).

Related: Vikings legend Cris Carter rips Shedeur Sanders for NFL draft slide

Jefferson, a 2020 first-rounder who has established himself as the best wide receiver in the NFL, was also asked about the winner and loser of the draft.

"I'm gonna say the Vikings won it," he said. "I'm not a big fan of watching the draft, I feel like it doesn't really matter. It all depends on who brings fire to their team and who makes the most of their opportunities."