Almost everyone was taken aback when Shedeur Sanders fell to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. This quarterback had great collegiate stats, composure under pressure, and widespread recognition.
In Colorado, he performed in front of a large audience, managed media attention, and displayed glimpses of NFL-caliber skill. So why did team after team pass on him before the Cleveland Browns finally called his name?
Ice Cube Says NFL Coaches Feared Drafting Shedeur Sanders Because of Deion’s Influence
Ice Cube proclaimed that the answer has little to do with football and everything to do with fear.
“Anyone who drafted Shedeur may have been drafting the player that would get them fired,” Ice Cube said recently. “Because Prime Time wants to coach his son in the NFL. So if there was a bad season, that coach would be gone, and Prime would be the coach. They were drafting in their best interest to keep their job.”
Ice Cube wanted the Raiders to draft Shedeur Sanders, but he has a theory on why he believes Shedeur fell in the NFL Draft,
“Anyone who drafted Shedeur, may have been drafting the player that would get them fired because Prime Time wants to Coach his Son in the NFL. So if there… pic.twitter.com/a59eCRwHKZ
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) June 27, 2025
It’s a bold take, but one that resonates.
Since returning to collegiate football and returning Colorado to the national spotlight, Deion Sanders, often called “Coach Prime,” has attracted media attention. He is a cultural force in athletics because of his charismatic demeanor, astute media sense, and intense interest in his sons’ careers.
There is no denying that personal and professional ties exist with Shedeur. He has been Shedeur’s coach since the beginning, coaching him at Jackson State and Colorado and assisting him in developing into a leader as well as a quarterback.
However, relationships like that in the NFL can make executives and coaches nervous.
How Job Security Concerns and Sanders’ Name Affected Shedeur’s Draft Stock
Ice Cube’s argument goes beyond draft boards and team requirements. Job security is difficult in a league where head coaches frequently work year-to-year.
Additionally, it would have seemed risky to some to choose a well-known quarterback closely associated with one of football’s most dynamic and driven coaches. Would supporters and the media start calling for Coach Prime to take over if things went wrong or the offense faltered? Would ownership be tempted?
Although hypothetical, it illustrates the fear-based reasoning that could subtly influence many NFL decisions. Although they seek players who will not add to their workload or cause them political problems, coaches also want players who match their system.
Shedeur might have slipped in the draft for that reason, not due to a lack of skill. It wasn’t that he wasn’t prepared. On the contrary, some teams weren’t ready for the full extent of Sanders’s name.