The 2025 NFL Draft was a wild, wild ride, packed with surprises and plenty of excitement for NFL fans. There were many trades, surprise picks, and emotional stories as young players’ lives were changed. Arguably, the biggest story and surprise in this year’s draft was Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ unprecedented freefall.
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Sanders had an impressive four-year college career at Jackson State and Colorado. This past season, with a 9-4 record, he threw for over 4,100 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. The hype surrounding Deion Sanders’ son was undeniable, and many projected him to be a first-round pick. Some even speculated that he could go No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans. However, things didn’t go as expected.
Sanders slipped to the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round, selected 144th overall. To make matters worse, the Browns drafted Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel two rounds earlier, at 94th overall. Sanders now enters a deep QB room in Cleveland, where he’ll need to fight for a roster spot. It’s undoubtedly a disappointment for him; however, Shedeur’s college teammate, Jimmy Horn Jr., has some words of encouragement.
Sanders’ former Colorado teammate, Horn Jr., who was selected in the sixth round by the Carolina Panthers, was asked in an interview over the weekend about his thoughts on Sanders’ slide. The star wide receiver showed his support for Shedeur, stating that God has a plan for him and expressing confidence that he’ll do great as a rookie.
“Everything happens for a reason in life,” said Horn Jr. “I feel like God got a plan for everything, so I just leave it up to God. That’s how I look at that situation, and I feel like he gone have a great season ahead of him.”
Horn was then asked if he believed Sanders was a fifth-round quarterback, to which he said no. Having played alongside Sanders for the last two seasons at Colorado, Horn recorded 95 catches for 1,008 yards and seven receiving touchdowns. And without a strong quarterback, that wouldn’t have been possible. No one can deny that.
Jimmy Horn Jr. Speaks On Shedeur Sanders Falling To The 5th Round:
“Everything happens for a reason in life; He gone have a great season ahead of him.”
@Panthers pic.twitter.com/HGMKJrZT4m
— GUCCE⬛ (@gucceCU) April 27, 2025
Though it could have been viewed as dreadful and confusing, it was still a great weekend for the Sanders family. Shedeur’s brother Shilo went undrafted but was picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.
Their father, Deion, now gets to watch them continue their respective careers in the NFL. It won’t be easy for either of them to play or start this season, but the next step in their journeys begins now. Who knows where it will take them.
