The 2025 NFL Draft class has been a little different. Unlike last year, when most positions were stacked, including behemoth quarterbacks who needed no hype to sell themselves to teams, this year’s class needed a ton of it, to be quite honest. And even then, there’ve been skeptics about the talent drafted this year.
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Just the other day, Louisville alum and Patriots legend Deion Branch was seen boasting about the Saints’ draft pick Tyler Shough’s capabilities. Shough was picked 40th overall and was initially set to sit behind Derek Carr for the starting job. However, after Carr decided to hang up the cleats, it’s all Shough in the headlines.
Naturally, all the hype without much visual evidence or locker room appeal is starting to make Rob Gronkowski sick. Although, he still gave Deion Branch his flowers before launching into his rant.
“Deion Branch, I saw talking about him (Tyler Shough) when I pulled up my Twitter the other day,” Gronk said. “And then I was like, ‘This guy must have gone to Louisville.’ And then I looked it up and he did go to Louisville, so, Dion Branch, shout out to Dion Branch, I love you brother.”
Gronk then implied how this kind of bias (in this case, Branch and Shough sharing the same school) has been inflating the hype around this year’s rookie QBs. In Gronk’s view, they don’t possess natural talent.
He even called out a few names, claiming that even sixth-rounders are getting clout and attention without doing much, not even making a mark at the rookie minicamp.
“I’ve heard every quarterback that got drafted in this year’s draft is the real deal. Even the six-rounders like the guy that went to the Pittsburgh Steelers from Ohio State (Will Howard). Great college career, but there are people out there like, ‘Oh, he’s going to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.'”
While Gronk was highly critical of the inflated hype around the QBs, he didn’t name Shedeur Sanders, who was the highlight of the NFL Draft. The Colorado prospect ended up falling five rounds before finally hearing his name called.
At the same time, though, Rob didn’t even spare the quarterback his former QB, Tom Brady, reportedly endorsed for the Raiders to pick in the sixth round. Brady is a minority owner of the team.
“I’ve heard this about every draft pick so far, even the Las Vegas player from North Dakota State (215th pick Cam Miller). I think he was drafted in the seventh round or sixth, ‘Oh, he’s going to be a heck of a starter for the Raiders in the future.”
Gronk clearly doesn’t like the idea of hyping up quarterbacks who have yet to prove their mettle — even if that comes with the Brady stamp of approval.
