NFL Exec Rips Anonymous Pre-Draft Criticism of Players, Calls It 'Total Garbage'

Even though anonymous quotes are a big part of journalism in general and the pre-draft process specifically, at least one person in the NFL would like to see some of the negative commentary change.

Per Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, a high-ranking NFL executive called it "total garbage" that people in the league will criticize draft prospects without putting their name on the commentary.

Leaving aside the irony of the executive not putting his name to the quote, it's well-known that teams don't want their people speaking publicly at the risk of giving away information.

You think the NFL wants the pre-draft chatter to stop for two months before the event? That's what would happen if people within the league had to put their name on everything that came out.

The one fair point made by the executive is the tone of some of the criticism. This applies most notably to Shedeur Sanders, who was reportedly called "brash" and "arrogant" by a quarterbacks coach for a team drafting in the top seven during the combine interviews last month.

More recently, one longtime assistant coach told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that Sanders had the "worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life" and called him "entitled."

In an April 16 story from ESPN's Kalyn Kahler about the combine interview process, she wrote Sanders "gave long and thorough answers" that included "sharing more than the question asked for."

One of the responses Sanders gave was about being the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders:

"I feel like nothing can faze me mentally, because I've been in the most high-pressure situation that there is to be known. That's the edge I have over any other player, because they haven't dealt with expectation immediately. See, a lot of people got to grow their name, and they had to build their name. They were nobody, then became someone. Being the son of my dad, you somebody [from the beginning]."

While there's a way to interpret that as being cocky and entitled, it's also honest that he is carrying on the football legacy of his name that was established by his father.

All of these interviews are a matter of perspective. Some people within the NFL may not want to meet a 23-year-old quarterback who has had success wherever he has played at his level. Others may not have as much of an issue doing so.

There are always going to be criticisms of players, regardless of whether they are prospects or established NFL stars. You can find people who don't think Patrick Mahomes is as good as his reputation if you look hard enough.

As long as the criticisms are within reason and not someone trying to work out a vendetta, it shouldn't matter in the grand scheme of things. It's not going to change the fact that when players hear their name called in the draft that it will be an incredibly emotional moment for themselves and their families.