Shedeur Sanders Defended by SEC Coach After Slide, NFL Teams 'Have Taken A Lot Worse'

More than one week after the 2025 NFL draft, the shock around Shedeur Sanders' fall to the fifth round remains high with even college football coaches trying to figure out how a quarterback with his talent remained on the board until Day 3.

Speaking to ESPN's Adam Rittenberg about the draft, a defensive assistant for an SEC team questioned the concerns about Sanders' demeanor and character that have been raised.

"People have taken a lot worse," the coach said.

The biggest issue raised about Sanders amid his draft fall was the interview process with NFL teams.

There were reports the Colorado product came across as "entitled" to some teams. There was some thought he treated the pre-draft process more like a recruiting trip, as opposed to a job interview.

The New York Giants, who were among the teams with an obvious need at quarterback entering the draft, and head coach Brian Daboll didn't have a good meeting with Sanders, per NFL draft insider Todd McShay.

Even if these concerns end up being things that hold the 23-year-old back in the NFL, it doesn't totally explain him staying on the board until pick No. 144 overall to the Cleveland Browns when he was still being projected as a late first-round pick on the day of the draft.

Highly talented prospects who have character concerns are in the draft every year, but that doesn't necessarily precipitate a fall this steep.

Sanders doesn't have any sort of legal issues on his resume, so this leads to the next thought that the NFL just didn't think as highly of him as a prospect as fans and analysts did.

Quarterbacks, especially, are always going to be given the benefit of the doubt if teams think they can help them win games. All 32 teams deciding to pass on him multiple times before the Browns ended his wait leads at least some credence to that notion.

It could end up being a colossal mistake by teams and we'll look back in a couple of years remembering how silly the questions about Sanders' pre-draft interviews were if he turns into a good starting quarterback.

We will get some indication about his ability when the Browns open rookie minicamp on Friday, as he looks to show the coaching staff he can compete for the starting job this season.