NFL owners ordered ‘entitled' Shedeur Sanders be taken off draft boards: Boomer Esiason
Shedeur Sanders apparently isn't the only person who 'torpedoed' his NFL draft chances.
When discussing the former Colorado quarterback's stunning slide over the weekend to the fifth round in the 2025 NFL Draft, with the Browns grabbing him at No. 144 overall, Boomer Esiason claimed Monday the 23-year-old Sanders wasn't on draft boards at the discretion of unnamed ownership.
'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, and I think he's very off-putting to many, many coaches and general managers in the league,' Esiason said Monday on WFAN's 'Boomer & Gio.'
Advertisement
4 Shedeur Sanders tumbled to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
'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.'
Advertisement
In the months leading up to the draft, Sanders stirred buzz over comments made at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, when rumors percolated about the QB's alleged 'unprofessional' behavior.
'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.'
4 Boomer Esiason suggested some NFL owners did not want Shedeur Sanders' on their draft boards.
WFAN/X
4 Shedeur Sanders was the Browns' pick at No. 144.
AP
Advertisement
Sanders, once projected to go in the early rounds of this year's draft, had to wait until the third and final day to receive that life-altering call from the Browns, who already landed Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel in the third round Friday night.
Beyond the quarterback 'just torpedo[ing] himself' where the pre-draft process is concerned, Esiason added Monday the quarterback's father, Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, 'didn't help' matters, particularly when he joked about the family pulling an 'Eli,' a nod to Eli Manning forcing a draft-day trade in 2004 from the Chargers to the Giants.
It was a rollercoaster draft experience for Sanders' family as the quarterback fell victim to a prank caller, who posed as a representative of an NFL team.
4 Deion Sander coached son Shedeur at Colorado and Jackson State.
AP
Advertisement
Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, was involved and has since issued an apology.
Only two quarterbacks were taken in the first round of this year's draft, with Cam Ward going No. 1 overall to the Titans and Jaxson Dart being selected at No. 25 by the Giants, whom Sanders worked out for.
Sanders was also linked to the Steelers and Saints, both of whom drafted quarterbacks.
He and Gabriel join a crowded quarterback room that includes Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Deshaun Watson.
Sanders' brother, safety Shilo Sanders, went undrafted and later signed with the Buccaneers.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Fans Worried for Travis Hunter After New Video Surfaces
Travis Hunter has already hit the practice field for the Jacksonville Jaguars after being selected No. 2 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. He participated in rookie minicamp from May 9–11 and began OTA offseason workouts with the team on Monday. Hunter, a two-way player, entered the draft nearly at the top of draft boards because of his ability to play both sides of the ball at the highest level. The former Colorado Buffaloes standout was selected seven picks ahead of the first true wide receiver, Tetairoa McMillan, who went to the Carolina Panthers. Advertisement On Monday, footage of both Hunter and McMillan was posted side by side, showing their experiences with their new teams so far. Despite not running the same route, McMillan's route looked crisper, and Hunter struggled to come out of his break. Fans who saw the post headed to the replies and shared their worries for Hunter. "Worried about Travis," one wrote. "That was horrible by Travis," a fan said. "Quickly Realizing that The NFL isn't like college. It's good he realizes this now." "One guy is a WR that's played WR his whole career, one guy is an athlete trying to play WR," another wrote. "It's pretty obvious and I swear it's not a knock on Travis. Travis was able to get away with a lot of (expletive) in college bc it's college, that (expletive) won't fly in the league I promise you that." Advertisement "lol but remember they said tmac is not WR1…," added another. "Gotta learn them routes bro bro," said a fan. "It's the jaguars organizations fault. They just turn good players into bad one once drafted," a fan added. Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12).Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK At Colorado, Hunter won the Heisman Trophy after recording 96 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a wide receiver. At cornerback, he added 35 tackles, 11 passes defended, one forced fumble, and four interceptions. Hunter and the Jaguars will continue OTA offseason workouts on select days until June 5. Then, they'll have several days off before mandatory minicamp from June 10-12. Related: Travis Hunter Breaks Silence On Thorpe Award Snub After Winning Heisman Trophy
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Jaguars Rookie Travis Hunter Reacts to Madden NFL 26 Rating
Jaguars Rookie Travis Hunter Reacts to Madden NFL 26 Rating originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Jacksonville Jaguars made a splash during the NFL Draft, landing talented dual-threat player Travis Hunter. He's preparing for a big debut, and fans are hoping for stellar contributions from him en route to an improved season. Advertisement Meanwhile, one of the exciting facets of football players making it to the NFL is seeing themselves as a playable character in the popular Madden NFL game. The numerical ratings assigned to each player in the game often become hot debates as players agree or disagree, and look to improve. Hunter will appear in the upcoming game, but the rookie wide receiver has what some might consider a subpar rating. However, the former Jackson State and Colorado star's reaction is the sort of response Jaguars fans are likely to eat right up before his season officially begins. Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis HunterCorey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images According to SI's Ben Armendariz, Hunter said he's unconcerned about debuting with a 76 in the video game. With a big smile, he said he's more interested in focusing on the real game. Advertisement Although he's unfazed by the initial Madden rating he received, the good news is that number can improve throughout his rookie season. All players are regularly monitored by individuals who help determine whether their ratings rise or fall. For comparison, Madden NFL 25's highest-rated rookies were Marvin Harrison Jr. and Joe Alt. Both players debuted in the video game with 79, so Hunter isn't far off from them whatsoever. Jacksonville's rookie receiver is already entering the league with some lofty expectations, as the Jaguars traded up to the No. 2 spot in the NFL Draft to get him. As Travis Hunter shows what he's truly capable of on the field, it shouldn't be long before his skills and stats boost those Madden ratings even higher. Advertisement Related: Travis Hunter Makes $3.275 Million Decision with Wife Leanna Lenee This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
NBC Sports
2 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Tar Heels players embrace new world as part of coach Bill Belichick's first college team
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Jordan Shipp remembers the conversation with his roommates after learning Bill Belichick was North Carolina's new coach. 'It was just like, 'That's the greatest coach of all time,'' the receiver recalled, ''and he's about to be coaching us.'' Belichick's arrival has triggered plenty of change for the Tar Heels, who are making a big bet on the man who won six Super Bowls as an NFL head coach to spark their football program. No one knows that better than the players — both the holdovers and the transfer-portal arrivals — after months of Belichick overhauling the roster and building the foundation on his first college team. North Carolina players hadn't spoken to reporters since last year's team ended its season with a Fenway Bowl loss to UConn three days after Christmas, all of which came after Belichick had been hired as coach for the 2025 season. So Tuesday marked the first time UNC had made players available to reporters since then to discuss Belichick's arrival. That has meant being coached by someone with a long track record of success at the sport's highest level, along with getting a peek behind the terse and grumpy persona he was known for with the New England Patriots. Defensive back Will Hardy said the players are used to curiosity that comes with being coached by the NFL lifer now giving college a try. 'There's a lot of that, you get a lot of 'How is Coach Belichick? What's new? What's different?'' Hardy said. 'So I've rehearsed these questions a lot with family and friends.' Formative stages The school hired Belichick in December to elevate the program at a time when football's role as the revenue driver in college sports has never been bigger. He and general manager Michael Lombardi have described their goal as building a pro-style model at the college level. It's been a key pitch as the 73-year-old Belichick made his first foray onto the recruiting trail, as well as the volume of players transferring in and out of the program. Belichick's first on-field work in Chapel Hill came during spring workouts, lodged between portal windows in December and April. 'Look, these are great kids to work with, they really are,' Belichick said Tuesday. 'We've had great buy-in. There have really been no problems at all. These guys are on time, they're early, they work hard, they put in the work in the weight room, out on the field. They spend time on their own, whether it's doing extra training or coming over and watching film and that type of thing. 'They've made a ton of improvement and these guys are a lot better than they were when we started in January, on every level. So it's exciting to see where that's going to take us.' Enticing opportunity For the players, part of the adjustment had been the reality that their coach was winning Super Bowls with quarterback Tom Brady while they were growing up and watching on TV. Intimidating much? 'I mean, maybe at first when you see him, all you see is the Super Bowls that he's won,' said offensive lineman Christo Kelly, a Holy Cross transfer and Belichick's first portal commitment. 'But when you get here and you see the way he cares, you see the way that he approaches the game, you see how hard he works, there's no question why he has the success that he has. 'The attention to detail, the emphasis on fundamentals, and really just kind of creating competition for the guys, that's what's getting built here. Guys are embracing it. He treats everybody with tremendous respect and it's been great.' Defensive back Thad Dixon had met Belichick before when he was at Washington, playing under Belichick's son Steve — now the Tar Heels' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. The two shared a few conversations then, and he jumped at the chance to head east. 'I really just wanted the opportunity just to learn from somebody like that, that had did it in the league for so long,' Dixon said. Behind the curtain Yet not every surprise has been about X's and O's. Sometimes it's simply when Belichick has dropped the all-business facade to expose an unexpectedly humorous side. 'I feel like that's the biggest curveball, you're coming to the first meeting and you're expecting it to be serious, 100% locked in,' said Shipp, who played 12 games for UNC last season. 'He comes in and he introduces himself and then he busts a joke. That's the second thing he said.' Hardy pointed that vibe, too. 'There are times when he'll just crack a joke out of nowhere,' he said. 'And just him being kind of monotone sometimes will make those jokes so funny.' Still, Hardy noted it's mingled amid the work, such as film sessions when 'there's no hiding' when Belichick highlights a mistake. UNC opens the season on Labor Day against TCU in a college version of Monday Night Football. 'I've loved having 1-on-1 conversations with him,' Hardy said. 'It's cool to see and meet him personally, because you grow up and see him on TV and everything. And he's just a completely different coach and guy when you get to be around him all day. It's cool.'
