Shedeur Sanders is teetering on the edge—at least if recent reports and rumors are to be believed.
Once considered the top quarterback prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft aside from perhaps Cam Ward, the Colorado Buffaloes signal-caller is now reportedly in danger of sliding into the bottom third of the first round. And while Sanders isn’t the only player facing this kind of scrutiny, he’s undoubtedly become the most high-profile example of pre-draft backlash.
Report: Criticism of Shedeur Sanders Called ‘Total Garbage’ by NFL Executive
On April 24, NFL Insider Jordan Schultz posted on X (formerly Twitter) quoting a “high-level NFL executive” who condemned the wave of negative anonymous quotes directed at Sanders and other prospects.
“The anonymous negative quotes that pop up every year? Total garbage. If you’ve got something to say, put your name on it or keep it in-house,” Schultz wrote, quoting his source. “Every team has access to similar intel — nobody’s dumb enough to read a tweet and suddenly pull a guy off their board. This is supposed to be a celebration for these players, the biggest weekend of their lives. And instead, some people try to torpedo them for clout. Enough already. It’s embarrassing for the league.”
The executive’s frustration echoes a sentiment many around the league have long shared—anonymous character attacks are nothing new in the NFL Draft process. In fact, these negative reports are sometimes leaked on purpose to plummet the prospect’s stock.
Whatever the case, the hate has reached an unusually high volume when it comes to Sanders. It’ll be fun to monitor him an see where he lands.
Anonymous Source References ‘Worst Formal Interview’
Sanders faced veiled criticism during the 2025 NFL Combine, but it didn’t stop there. On the April 23 edition of “Good Morning Football” on NFL Network, co-host Kyle Brandt shared quotes from an anonymous assistant coach who tore into Sanders’ perceived flaws.
Brandt relayed the following quote: “The worst formal interview I’ve ever been in in my life. He’s so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates … But the biggest thing is, he’s not that good.”
Whether these quotes reflect legitimate concerns or are part of a smear campaign remains to be seen. But their timing—just days before the NFL Draft—has certainly raised eyebrows.
Sanders is still being loosely linked to the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants in the first round. So, how much stock do front offices truly put in anonymous criticism? Was it all smoke, or has Sanders’ stock genuinely fallen from its preseason peak?
Regardless of where he lands, Sanders remains one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2025 class, and the narrative surrounding him only enhances the drama.
