Even if Shedeur Sanders goes to the NFL and has the best rookie year of all time, someone somewhere will have something to say about him. Being the son of the legendary Deion Sanders, it’s a curse he just has to bear. Thankfully, he knows how to bear it well. With confidence and a certain je ne sais quoi.
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That confidence and sass, however, had the quarterback recently labeled “brash” and “arrogant.” NFL insider Josina Anderson revealed that a quarterbacks coach from a top-seven drafting team found Sanders’ demeanor to be such from his NFL Combine interview.
Since then, Shedeur’s draft stock has plummeted considerably. But this scrutiny is not new to Sanders. As Deion Sanders’ son, he has long been in the public eye and has demonstrated resilience. As has his best friend and trusted target from their Buffalo days, Travis Hunter. And Hunter continues to stand by Shedeur. In fact, he has a theory about why Shedeur’s catching so much flak after the Combine.
“They tryna knock Shedeur down and trying to build somebody else up. We kinda used to it at this point. Just used to getting knocked down, just for them to see we can prove them wrong. We don’t even care no more, we just let people do what they do,” the Heisman winner said on his podcast.
Entering March, Shedeur Sanders was initially seen as a top-two quarterback prospect in the draft, with many experts predicting he would be selected by either the Cleveland Browns at No. 2 or the New York Giants at No. 3.
However, following the NFL Combine, his projected draft position has changed, with analysts now projecting him to be drafted around the 6th to 7th spot. But Hunter has faith that the quarterback will once again prove everyone wrong. As far as “trying to build somebody else up” goes, Hunter seems to be referring to Cam Ward.
Ward, it seems, made exactly the opposite impression at the Combine as Shedeur. Though both QBs refrained from actually participating in the Combine. Sanders and Ward took the same podium, each aiming to be the first quarterback selected in the NFL draft. Sanders made a bold impression with his flashy necklace and displayed the confidence he is known for.
In contrast, Ward shared a more humble story, detailing his six-year journey from being an underappreciated high school player in Texas to becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist and a potential top pick in April. For now, the mock drafts favor Ward as the top pick while some have even suggested that Shedeur might not end up being a top-ten pick.
That storyline could obviously change depending on how Shedeur performs at Colorado’s Pro Day. His skill in making precise throws and leading the offense will hopefully be then, where he aims to reinforce his standing as one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft.
