It’s been nearly four months since Shedeur Sanders’ stunning draft-day collapse, which saw the Cleveland Browns scoop him up in the fifth round as the 144th overall pick. But even now, fans and analysts remain baffled, and for good reason.
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How could a quarterback touted as a top-five prospect in virtually every mock draft tumble so far? And why did quarterback-needy teams like the Saints, Eagles, and Giants all pass on him multiple times before Cleveland grabbed him, and that, too, as their second rookie QB of the class after Dillon Gabriel?
The sequence of events didn’t add up, leading to the circulation of multiple theories and rumors. Some suggested that Shedeur bombed private interviews with coaches, while others theorized that his draft slide wasn’t about football at all. Instead, they suspected collusion — a calculated effort by the NFL to send Sanders a message.
The lesson? That his much-discussed demand for ‘prime equity,’ a clause tying player compensation not just to on-field production but also to brand, legacy, and financial future, would never fly in a league that fiercely protects its power structure.
Now, Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson has poured gasoline on the fire, claiming the NFL really did intervene to keep Shedeur Sanders from being drafted early.
Speaking on the Roggin and Rodney show on AM 570 LA Sports, the Los Angeles Rams legend revealed that the NFL directly told teams to stay away from Sanders.
“I tell you this much, what I heard from someone that’s in the NFL that the NFL told [teams] don’t draft him, do not draft him,” Dickerson said. “We’re going to make an example out of him. And this came from a very good source, a very good source.”
The legendary RB went further, alleging that league officials later reversed course and forced the Cleveland Browns to draft Sanders in the fifth round after his stunning slide.
“He said that – I won’t say who – somebody called the Cleveland Browns and said, ‘don’t do that, draft him,’” Dickerson continued. “Because they weren’t going to draft him either… They were forced into drafting him because somebody made a call to them.”
According to Dickerson’s source, the plan was for Shedeur to go undrafted, effectively sending a message to players about the league’s handling of individuals who fall out of line.
When host Fred Roggin asked, “So what was the objective? He doesn’t get picked, he’s an undrafted free agent?”
Dickerson gave a blunt response. “That’s exactly what was going to happen. They were going to have him not get drafted to basically show you ‘this is what happens when you do this.’ I mean, look, the NFL’s got all kinds of power, they do all kinds of stuff. You know it and I know it too.”
For Shedeur Sanders’ fans, their theory being validated by a bonafide NFL legend was enough for one of them to ask the money question: “Is this not enough for a lawsuit??” A few also felt relieved. “We all knew something would come out sooner or later,” said one. “There it is!! It will eventually come out!” added another.
: According to NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson, the NFL told teams NOT to draft Shedeur Sanders.
“The NFL told teams, ‘Do not draft him. We’re gonna make an example out of him. Somebody called the Browns and said, Don’t do that. Don’t draft him.’”
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) August 21, 2025
The majority, however, didn’t buy Dickerson’s claims at face value. From calling it borderline delusional to straight-up denying it, these fans firmly believe that Shedeur’s draft fall had nothing to do with the league.
“Dude, no one who knows anything about anything is talking to Eric Dickerson about it. People need to just accept that Shedeur isn’t as good as they want him to believe he is. If his last name wasn’t Sanders, you wouldn’t even know who he was,” argued one. “At this point it’s all hearsay. So not quite good enough for a successful lawsuit,” chimed in another.
All said and done, if true, Dickerson’s revelation exposes one of the league’s most heavy-handed draft manipulations in recent memory. It raises questions about fairness, power, and whether Sanders’ fall was even about football.
But as many seem to believe, the quarterback’s fortunes were a result of his own making.
Regardless, this will go down as one mystery about which we will never get to know the full story. All Sanders can do is fulfill his potential so that his draft slide becomes the origin for his success story.
