Mel Kiper Reacts to Shedeur Sanders to Browns, Says There’s ‘Fake News’ About Deion

Other than Shedeur Sanders and the members of his family, no one was happier to see the Cleveland Browns finally end his wait in the 2025 NFL draft than Mel Kiper Jr.

During ESPN's coverage of the draft on Saturday, Kiper reacted to Sanders being selected at No. 144 overall by questioning some of the "fake news" being thrown around regarding Deion's role in his son's professional career:

“Are you confident, cocky? Are you arrogant or are you charismatic? There’s that fine line there. I think there’s a lot of perspective, is it reality in regards to Shedeur and Deion. Deion’s not going to interfere. He’s not going to be calling the coach, he’s not going to be commenting about Shedeur while he’s in Colorado. Lou, I think there’s a lot of fake news out there surrounding the Sanders family with Shedeur and Deion.”

The Browns traded up with the Seattle Seahawks to take Sanders with the sixth pick in the fifth round.

One of the many theories posited about why Shedeur fell in the draft was Deion's influence on his career.

Coach Prime famously said in January there were "a couple of teams that I won't allow (Shedeur) to play for." He doubled down on that the following month during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show (h/t CBS Sports' Will Brinson) by saying he has a "do not draft me" list.

"I know some folks who know some folks … who know some folks, in the NFL. And I know what's behind the curtain. So definitely I'm going to lead them in the right direction," Deion added.

Deion did walk back those remarks during a March 26 appearance on The Skip Bayless Show that he would be happy wherever Shedeur ends up "because I know what he's going to do to the organization." (starts at 8:35 mark).

The Browns were among the teams Deion cited in his response about where his son might get drafted.

There had also been speculation that Deion might look to coach his son in the NFL if he were to leave Colorado, though that was primarily focused on the Las Vegas Raiders before they hired Pete Carroll and when it was assumed they might select Shedeur early in the draft.

Whatever the exact explanation for Shedeur's slide in the draft is, the most important thing is he found a team willing to give him an opportunity. The next step is for him to take advantage of it and make it so the Browns can't resist the urge to play him.

Being a fifth-round pick certainly suggests Sanders won't be assured of anything, but he's got the ability to prove a lot of skeptics wrong heading into his first NFL training camp this summer.