The lead-up to the annual NFL Draft is always a wild ride. Fans obsess over trade rumors while analysts spend hours churning out updated mock drafts. But no draft season is complete without the age-old tradition of comparing college prospects to current or former NFL players.
These comps help scouts, media, and fans visualize how a player might translate to the pro level. They’re typically based on physical traits like height, weight, and speed or technical skills like footwork and release timing. But occasionally, comparisons veer into more subjective territory — like personality — and that’s when things can get messy.
Shedeur Sanders Isn’t Baker Mayfield — And Critics Are Missing the Point
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, has become one of the more polarizing prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft class. While his talent is undeniable, some critics have labeled him overconfident, which has sparked a much bigger conversation.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky came to Sanders’ defense this week, drawing comparisons to current Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. Orlovsky emphasized that the swagger and self-belief that make Mayfield beloved by many should also be appreciated in Sanders.
“We can’t praise Baker Mayfield and fall in love with Baker Mayfield because of his charisma, cockiness, his self-belief and then kind of view it differently with Shedeur,” Orlovsky said. “I heard a lot of Baker, listening to Shedeur and the confidence. I think it’s great.”
While Orlovsky meant the comparison as praise, others felt it missed the mark. Robert Littal, founder of Black Sports Online, pushed back hard on the Mayfield-Sanders connection.
"We can't praise Baker Mayfield and fall in love with Baker Mayfield because of his charisma, cockiness, his self-belief and then kind of view it differently with Shedeur."
—@danorlovsky7 on the criticism of Shedeur Sanders pic.twitter.com/3tdMqetCdO
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) April 4, 2025
“If you are comparing Baker Mayfield and Shedeur Sanders’ personalities in college, that lends me to believe you didn’t actually follow Baker’s college career,” Littal posted on X. “Shedeur looks like a choir boy in comparison to the shenanigans Baker was up to. Let’s be honest here.”
“You want to critique the film. Let’s keep it on film,” Littal added. “But what I won’t allow is for any confident Black man to be [labeled] with terms that don’t fit them because you are too lazy to do your job. Stay up Black men, don’t be afraid to be confident in your skills.”
Littal’s pushback struck a chord with many. Mayfield was a Heisman winner and an electric college talent, but controversial headlines, including an arrest and on-field antics, marked his college years. Sanders, in contrast, has maintained a more composed public image, with any perceived flash often attributed to his father’s influence.
According to the latest PFSN mock draft, Sanders is projected to go 33rd overall to the Cleveland Browns. That would put him just outside the first round — a potential slide for a player once seen as a top-15 lock.
Whether or not the comparison was well-intentioned, it underscores the challenge many young Black quarterbacks still face: being evaluated fairly without being reduced to stereotypes. As the draft nears, Sanders’ film — not his confidence — should be the story.