Deion Sanders Compares Pre-Draft Criticism of Shedeur to Lamar Jackson

No player has been under more of a spotlight ahead of Thursday's NFL draft than Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and that has included speculation he could slide out of the first round and is only seen as a top prospect because of his famous father. 

But that famous father pointed to another quarterback who faced plenty of scrutiny leading up to the NFL draft before becoming one of the league's best players.

"We see some bull junk every year, but Lamar [Jackson] was probably the most recent," Deion Sanders said, per Jarrett Bell of USA Today.

Jackson ended up being the final pick of the first round during the 2018 NFL draft, which made him the fifth quarterback selected. Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen all went in the top 10, and Allen is now the only one with an argument as being the better option.

All Jackson has done is win two MVPs while being selected to four Pro Bowls by 28 years old. Oh, and he has done so while playing quarterback despite at least one suggestion saying he should move to wide receiver before the draft.

"That was ridiculous," Sanders said. "Just insulting. But God was in that to get him where he needed to go, the city of Baltimore. Ozzie (Newsome, Ravens then-GM) took a shot at him. And two MVPs later, damn near the highest-paid quarterback later, who won? He won. He got to a better team, to a better situation, by it being later on."

The question now is whether the same will happen to Shedeur Sanders.

While B/R's NFL Scouting Department ranked him as the second-best quarterback in the draft behind Miami's Cam Ward in its latest big board of prospects, Jaxson Dart has generated some first-round buzz as well.

There is also the possibility that teams don't want to use a first-round pick on either option and simply wait to see what they can get in the mid to later rounds.

Regardless of where Sanders ends up, he will be under the spotlight throughout his rookie season and beyond. After all, he is the most notable player in this draft, has a Hall of Fame father and will be a headline quarterback whether he is the starter or the backup.

Jackson overcame the predraft scrutiny to be one of the league's best, and Sanders will surely look to do the same.