Former NFL MVP reveals just how close Shedeur Sanders came to going undrafted
Sanders was mocked as one of the top quarterback prospects in this year's draft class, but fell to the 144th overall pick before the Cleveland Browns took him.
Even though many believed that Sanders was one of the two best quarterback prospects in the pool, he ended up being the sixth passer taken in the draft.
But it could have been worse. According to former NFL MVP and New York radio host Boomer Esiason, many teams removed Sanders from their draft boards.
Esiason, who won the 1988 MVP award with the Cincinnati Bengals, said that many teams didn't put the Colorado quarterback on their radar due to his attitude.
Rumors about the way Sanders comported himself in team interviews began circulating prior to the draft.
Boomer says some NFL owners ordered teams to take Shedeur Sanders off their draft boards: @7BOOMERESIASON @GioWFAN @WFANmornings pic.twitter.com/5BtvKsNpAa
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) April 28, 2025
'When you listen to this kid talk, right prior or at the combine, about how "if you want a new culture in your locker room, I'm the guy to do that, I can turn it around," he's very high on himself,' Esiason said on an episode of his WFAN radio show 'Boomer & Gio' on Monday.
'And I think he's very off-putting to many, many coaches and general managers in the league.
'I'm telling you right now, and I know this after talking to three different personnel people in the NFL this weekend, they didn't even have him on their board.
'They took him off, and they took him off because the owner said, "Take him off, I don't want that guy. I don't want this … entitled person on our team," and I don't blame them.'
Sanders was a lightning rod for some criticism for comments he made at the NFL Combine - which is where rumors of his 'unprofessional' behavior began.
'We went from Jackson State to Colorado and changed two programs back-to-back,' Sanders said at the combine.
'You don't think I could come to an NFL franchise and change a program again? It's history. It's always going to repeat itself.'
The quarterback had been left to watch at his home in Texas as he slid down the draft boards in the first round.
Going into the day of the draft, Sanders was a projected first round pick after previously being mocked as a top-3 pick just months prior.
But Sanders wasn't chosen by anyone at all on Thursday and his misery continued during the second and third rounds.
Sanders was helpless again as he watched three other quarterbacks selected ahead of him on Friday.
His wait finally ended just after 2pm on Saturday, when the Browns selected the ex-Colorado star with the sixth pick of the fifth round - putting an end to one of the most stunning sagas in the history of the NFL Draft.
It's time to be legendary. ⌚️ @ShedeurSanders @Browns
(via @ShiloSanders) pic.twitter.com/HIrX4DDf5o
— NFL (@NFL) April 26, 2025
Sanders was left to watch as he slipped down the draft boards on Thursday evening
Months ago, Sanders was believed to be picked early because the teams with the top three selections - the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants - were all in need of quarterbacks.
But the Giants signed free agents Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in the offseason, mostly filling their needs at the position for this season.
The Titans were long sold on Miami quarterback Cam Ward, who they took first overall on Thursday night.
Then, the Browns decided to trade down in the draft - giving the Jacksonville Jaguars the second pick.
Jacksonville chose to draft Sanders' teammate, Heisman winner Travis Hunter, second overall instead.
Rather than bulking up the QB position with Sanders, the Giants made a smart decision and took the best available player in the draft: Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter.
The Browns, with the fifth pick they got from Jacksonville, also took a defensive lineman in Michigan product Mason Graham.
As the first round ticked on, it seemed that any chance for Sanders to be picked rested on the hope that a team would trade up to take him.
So when the Giants traded up to the 25th overall pick, many believed that this was their chance to select Sanders as their 'quarterback of the future'.
The Giants did end up selecting a QB. But rather than Sanders, they chose Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss.
A dejected looking Sanders was seen slightly upset after that pick came through as his night didn't go as expected.
That night, with friends and family surrounding him, Sanders addressed the disappointment.
The 23-year-old spoke to his loved ones about his snub, admitting 'we all didn't expect this, of course'.
But Sanders tried to remain upbeat, insisting he would be 'happy' regardless of what happens in the upcoming rounds of the draft.
'I feel like with God, anything is possible, everything is possible,' he said. 'I feel like this happened for no reason - all this is is of course fuel to the fire and under no circumstance we all know this shouldn't happen.
'But we understand we're on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow is the day, we're going to be happy regardless, legendary.'
Entering Friday night, many expected Sanders to be taken with the first pick of the second round by the Cleveland Browns. Instead, the Browns passed on him at picks 33 and 36.
Then, in a complete shock, the New Orleans Saints selected Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough with the 40th pick.
No other quarterbacks were taken in the rest of the second round, leaving draft analysts confounded by how far Sanders had fallen.
Then came the chaos of the third round. With the 28th pick of the round and the 92nd pick overall, the Seattle Seahawks chose Alabama's Jalen Milroe in a stunner.
But then two picks later, in perhaps the most staggering development of the night, the Browns took a quarterback by selecting Oregon gunslinger Dillon Gabriel.
Gabriel had been projected by ESPN's Mel Kiper as the eighth best quarterback in the draft class - making this an absolutely mindboggling decision.
Donald Trump was stunned that Shedeur hadn't been selected in the first round of the draft
That stunning second and third round turn of events comes on the same day that President Donald Trump took some time away from his duties to post on social media about the quarterback's dramatic tumble.
'What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID?' Trump wrote in his latest Truth Social rant. 'Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and was even greater in the NFL. He's also a very good coach, streetwise and smart!
'Therefore, Shedeur, his quarterback son, has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness.
'He should be 'picked' IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!'
All season long at Colorado, he showed off his prowess as a pocket passer, benefited from a great connection with Hunter and tossed for over 4,100 yards and for 37 touchdowns.
While his willingness to take contact in order to make plays is a sign that he's good in uncomfortable situations in the pocket. When the pocket holds up, his accuracy and arm strength makes him a threat in short, medium, and long-range passes.
But he's been prone to taking sacks in the name of making plays and doesn't use his athleticism to avoid hits as much as he should.
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