Shedeur Sanders’ dramatic slide down the draft board was hard to watch — something rarely, if ever, seen for a player of his stature, especially a quarterback. Once projected as a first-round or early second-round pick, he fell all the way to the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns selected him 144th overall. So what happened?
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Some attribute it to his bravado; others point to concerns about his game and the lack of a defining elite trait. A few believe it was his attitude or poor preparation during interviews. There’s even a growing belief that the NFL intentionally blackballed him to “humble” him. However, Robert Griffin III and his wife, Grete, offered a different perspective: they believe it all boils down to his last name and the influence of his father, Deion Sanders.
During the latest episode of Outta Pocket, Robert Griffin III and his wife, Grete, discussed Shedeur Sanders’ surprising fall in the draft. RG3, a Baylor alum, believes Shedeur’s talent and game tape earned him a spot within the first three rounds. However, he feels the Sanders name — and the confidence that comes with it — ultimately worked against him.
“Take away his last name, and look at his play. It feels like he’s being punished because of the last name on his jersey. And because he’s confident.”
Grete added that what many in the NFL view as “meddling” by Deion Sanders is really just the actions of a good father looking out for his son.
“Deion is 100% hurting. That’s his son, that’s his baby…I almost feel like NFL teams are terrified of that. What do they think? That Deion is going to come in and be the coach. He’s going to come in and say no, he’s not going to run this way, he’s going to run that way.”
RG3 also criticized NFL teams’ inability to develop quarterbacks, blaming that incompetence for ruining the careers of many promising players. He pointed to how Archie Manning once intervened to prevent his son Eli from going to the San Diego Chargers, instead guiding him to New York.
“There are more NFL teams that know how to mess a QB up than know how to develop them. That is why Archie Manning said Eli Manning wasn’t going to go to San Diego. He knew if he got him in New York, it would be the best situation for his son, and nobody treated Eli the way they are treating Shedeur Sanders. So, for me, we should not be punishing black fatherhood for them in their children’s lives because we don’t punish white fatherhood for the same exact thing.
In contrast, RG3 noted, Deion Sanders didn’t even say anything controversial, yet both he and Shedeur faced consequences. Griffin concluded that the NFL’s reaction reflects a larger issue: strong Black fathers are often punished in ways that strong white fathers are not. Do fans agree with RG3’s assessment?
Fans react to Griffin’s take on Shedeur’s draft slide
Well, the response was largely critical. Many felt that Griffin was stretching with his take and accused him of pushing conspiracy theories he may have picked up elsewhere.
A significant portion of fans argued that Shedeur Sanders’ fall to the fifth round had nothing to do with his last name or father, but rather with his own unprofessional conduct during pre-draft interviews and Deion’s outspoken public persona.
You’re being told by people with podcasts who come up with conspiracy theories, aren’t you?
— Cheese Rapman (@GBOVFL22) April 29, 2025
Another chimed in and added,
No he just acted like an asshole in interviews and his dad publicly said he would control the team he went to.
You wouldn’t get hired anywhere if you acted like this.
— china (@chinamaniac) April 29, 2025
A user commented,
A more utterly ridiculous take, I could hardly imagine. Successful NFL teams run on rigid discipline, each player and coach relentlessly focused on flawless execution of their role. The Shadeur/Deion drama party did not synch with that necessity at all. Not at all. Lucky he…
— Daniel Hogans (@rfrzdtkcx6) April 28, 2025
Someone stated,
That’s just garbage. It just puts horrific more politics into the process. Take it back. It doesn’t work for anyone.
— blue side (@BlueCatherr54) April 28, 2025
Others said,
Talk about someone else man. You know a ton of people got drafted right? Not just one person? Spread the love.
— BoltzGalaxy⚡️ (@boltzgalaxy) April 28, 2025
Many called RG3’s remarks a “poor take,” emphasizing that building a successful franchise requires discipline, focus, and humility — qualities they felt the Sanders family hadn’t fully demonstrated. In their eyes, Shedeur should feel fortunate to have been drafted at all and now needs to put his head down and prove himself.
Some fans even expressed fatigue over the constant focus on Sanders, suggesting RG3 shift his attention to other deserving prospects in this year’s draft class. What do you think? Are there any merits to RG3’s take, or is it just another theory floated by those who think Shedeur deserved better?
