As one of the most coveted players in the 2025 NFL Draft, there is a belief among scouts and fans that Deion Sanders could play a role in where his son, Shedeur Sanders, begins his pro football career.
Though there has been no formal declaration by the Sanders camp regarding the issue, ESPN NFL Draft analyst and insider Matt Miller believes there is a chance that Deion could get involved “if they have to”.
NFL Draft Insider Compares Sanders Situation to Manning Controversy
During an interview on the “Gojo and Golic” DraftKings show, Miller highlighted his belief that “having a father who’s a Hall of Famer and a premier college football head coach gives you the leverage to be able to pull some strings that other players might not”.
Does @nfldraftscout think Coach Prime & Shedeur Sanders could pull an Archie & Eli Manning in the NFL Draft?
“I think they could if they have to…I think having a father who’s a Hall of Famer & a premier college football head coach gives you the leverage to be able to pull some… pic.twitter.com/qxJzPGdkKF
— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) November 22, 2024
Miller referenced the 2004 Eli Manning NFL Draft situation, one that saw Archie Manning publicly announce to the world that his son, Eli, would refuse to play for the San Diego Chargers if drafted by the organization.
In the end, Archie’s role in the matter resulted in a shock trade between the Chargers and the New York Giants, the team Eli would play for his entire career, ultimately sending Philip Rivers to California.
Does Coach Sanders Have the Power To Choose His Son’s Next Team?
While the 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee does not have the power to actually block a team from drafting his son, the potential media reaction from a statement by Deion could cause teams to change draft plans and pivot to a different player.
Coach Prime is one of the biggest sports personalities in the world right now and is running one of the most successful college football programs in the country. As a result, an endorsement for or a refusal against an NFL franchise does have weight and could cause teams to rethink their goals come draft time.
READ MORE: 2025 NFL Draft No. 1 Pick Chances for Teams Like Carolina and New York
In the Mannings’ case, Archie did not block the Chargers from drafting Eli; however, he made clear that Eli would not play for the then-struggling franchise. In theory, Deion does have the ability to do so with Shedeur; however, it is unknown whether Prime Time would consider a move like this for his son.
The Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, and Las Vegas Raiders are just some of the NFL clubs rumored to be interested in Shedeur’s talents, largely due to their respective draft projections at the current moment.
While it is important to note that neither Deion nor Shedeur has made public their intent should the following teams come knocking, it is clear that some NFL insiders, such as Miller, believe a Manning 2.0 scenario is not off the table in 2025.