Shedeur Sanders has been one of the most fascinating players to cover ever since his intentions to join the NFL became clear. Thanks to his natural charisma and talent, he has already garnered a massive fan following that is incredibly passionate about the superstar. Add in the pedigree as the son of one of the all-time greats in Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, and he’s become a significant topic of conversation for the entire league.
That hype has continued, even after a momentous setback in the 2025 NFL Draft. Throughout the preseason, Sanders has been one of the biggest stories across the NFL, especially as he is trying to win the starting job for the Cleveland Browns. However, after a brutal game in Week 3 of the preseason against the Los Angeles Rams, one analyst was quick to fire off brutal shots against the second-generation star.
Was Shedeur Sanders’ Draft Day Slide Legitimate?
The hype built all through the months leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft. For most of the process, Sanders seemed locked in as a first-round pick. Then, draft day happened, and he dropped way further than anyone expected.
Instead of being the top guy, Sanders ended up a Day 3 pick, grabbed only after the Browns already selected Dillon Gabriel with the 94th overall pick. Sanders finally joined the roster in the fifth round, 50 picks later, setting off waves of speculation.
Conspiracy theories flew: Did his attitude, or maybe his father’s bravado, chase teams away? Whatever the reason, Sanders suddenly faced a tough road in Cleveland, joining a crowded quarterback group with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Gabriel. From day one, the fight for QB1 looked like an uphill battle.
That climb only got steeper after his latest outing against the Rams. Flacco started and played well, and then Gabriel ripped off a sharp two-minute drill for a touchdown. When Sanders came in, things went sideways fast. He managed just three completions on six attempts for fourteen yards and, making it way worse, took five sacks that made for brutal viewing.
The reaction came quickly. Taking to X, Jason Lloyd of The Athletic didn’t mince words. He posted, “We are witnessing why 31 teams passed on Shedeur multiple times. The conspiracy theories/sabotage stuff is absurd. He just isn’t good enough yet and isn’t ready to be a starting QB.”
We are witnessing why 31 teams passed on Shedeur multiple times. The conspiracy theories/sabotage stuff is absurd. He just isn’t good enough yet and isn’t ready to be a starting QB. Teams saw that early and wanted no part of this nonsense. It’s not anymore complicated than that
— Jason Lloyd (@ByJasonLloyd) August 24, 2025
From Lloyd’s point of view, the draft day drop was all about what showed up on the field. “Teams saw that early and wanted no part of this nonsense. It’s not anymore complicated than that.”
Still, there is more to the story. The Rams game came just as Sanders was coming back from an oblique injury that sidelined him for nearly two weeks. He hadn’t been at full strength, and that likely factored in.
Before getting hurt, Sanders started for the Browns in Week 1 of the preseason against the Carolina Panthers. That outing was a complete flip from his Rams performance: 138 yards, two touchdowns, and 14 completions on 23 throws. That night, fans and league insiders were buzzing with praise, and for a short time, the negative noise cooled off.
But all it took was one rough game for critics to pile back on. Right now, Sanders is set to open the year third on the Browns’ depth chart, slotted behind Flacco and Gabriel, thanks to an injury to Pickett. That means it might be a while before he sees the field, but the door’s still open. If he keeps working and proves himself in practice, Sanders could still earn a shot at jumping up the pecking order in Cleveland.
