Shedeur Sanders finally heard his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft, but not before sliding to the fifth round. The Cleveland Browns picked the University of Colorado quarterback with the 144th overall selection, setting up a crowded QB room that already includes Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. Yet even before Sanders took an NFL snap, concerns about his future started to make waves.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero raised serious red flags about Sanders’ approach during the pre-draft process. Speaking to multiple coaches and executives, Pelissero reported that Sanders rubbed many the wrong way by acting like he was calling the shots instead of letting the draft unfold naturally. According to Pelissero, “Throughout the pre-draft process, Shedeur Sanders very much proceeded as if he was dictating to clubs where he was going to go rather than how the draft works.”
Serious Concerns Behind The Scenes
A longtime NFL assistant coach told Pelissero that Sanders’ formal interview was “the worst” he had ever seen. The coach criticized Sanders’ attitude, body language, and accountability without holding back, “He’s so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks, never plays on time, has horrible body language, blames teammates. But the biggest thing is, he’s not that good.”
NEW: Journalist Tom Pelissero details Shedeur Sanders' attitude issues, says an NFL coach told him that his interview with Sanders was the worst formal interview he ever had.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 26, 2025
Sanders also was allegedly dictating to teams "how he wanted things to go."
The comment comes as many… pic.twitter.com/X2pNUKP3hQ
Other executives echoed similar concerns, though some painted a slightly softer picture. One AFC executive mentioned their team’s interview with Sanders “didn’t go great,” while an NFC scouting director said Sanders could face a culture shock in an NFL locker room. “It’s not that he’s a bad kid. He has been so insulated. When you walk in one of these buildings, no one’s going to give a s*** about that. No one cares who your dad is,” the scouting director said, referencing Deion Sanders’ influence during Shedeur’s college years.
The connection to his father, Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, complicates the narrative even more. Deion, who coached Shedeur at Jackson State and Colorado, quickly brushed off the criticism. In an interview with USA Today, Deion said, “Most of it is laughable,” adding that when things “don’t make sense, it’s God.”
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As Shedeur Sanders begins his NFL journey, questions about how he adapts to the professional world will linger. He enters a league that demands humility, hard work, and the ability to take tough coaching. For Sanders, the real battle might not just be on the field but also in the locker room.
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