When Shedeur Sanders fell to the 144th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, it didn’t make much sense on paper. At Colorado, he threw for 7,364 yards, 64 touchdowns, and led FBS charts in completion percentage — all while playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in college football.
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He was accurate, composed, and carried a program that spent more time on national TV than many NFL teams. By every on-field metric, he looked like a Day 1 or Day 2 pick. But as the rounds passed and he remained undrafted, it became clear that something else was driving the slide.
And if former NFL MVP and analyst Boomer Esiason is to be believed, Sanders’ draft freefall wasn’t a scouting decision or a quality issue — it was a front office mandate.
“They took him off, and they took him off because the owner said, ‘take him off. I don’t want that guy,’” Esiason said. “Shedeur Sanders just torpedoed himself.”
The reason? Esiason attributed this to Shedeur’s “off-putting” attitude during the NFL Combine process. This, plus the lingering shadow of his father, Deion Sanders, didn’t sit well in some rooms.
“His attitude off the field at the combine — his dad didn’t help him either,” Esiason explained. “He was on podcasts talking about ‘this is my son… If I can get him to where I want to get him to, I’m gonna do that.’”
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As intriguing as the former Bengals quarterback’s revelation sounds, there seems to be some merit considering Sanders reportedly rubbed a few people the wrong way at the NFL Combine when he boldly declared that “if you ain’t trying to change the franchise or the culture, don’t get me.”
It was confidence, sure. But in a setting where quarterbacks are expected to project humility and team-first energy, some executives apparently read it as arrogance, and the price was paid.
However, despite all this hullabaloo in war rooms and GM circles, Shedeur Sanders remains a fan favorite. According to the NFL’s official jersey sales data, Sanders ranks third overall among all rookies from the 2025 Draft.
Only Travis Hunter and Cam Ward sold more as Sanders outranked high-profile names like Ashton Jeanty, Tetairoa McMillan, and Jaxson Dart — guys taken well before him.
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He didn’t need a top draft slot to generate buzz. He didn’t need to play it safe to move the merch. What he has is presence. Whether it’s his play, his image, or the Deion factor, people want to be associated with Shedeur Sanders.
So with the Browns’ quarterback room wide open for competition, all eyes will be on the former Buffs star when training camp starts. The NFL may have doubted him, but the public clearly hasn’t. Now, it’s on Shedeur to justify that belief, not just with swagger but also with his on-field performances. Popularity will give him a moment, but it’s his production that will sustain it.
