NFL Exec Says Deion Sanders' Involvement 'Hurt' Shedeur Before Historic Draft Slide

While there are still some questions about what caused Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders' dramatic fall to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft, some around the league reportedly feel that his famed lineage worked against him.

Jarrett Bell of USA Today spoke to multiple NFL executives who expressed that Hall of Famer Deion Sanders' involvement in Shedeur's pre-draft process played a part in his massive drop down the draft board.

"I think his dad’s involvement hurt him," a high-level executive told Bell. "Some of the things his dad said, I think that weighed on people’s minds."

Another executive added that the signal-caller's decision to let his father represent him rather than hiring a certified NFL agent was a mistake.

"I think he had some bad advice from his father," the executive said. "He needed a traditional agent like other players. He and his dad, they felt like they didn’t need that. I think that affected him."

Deion Sanders, who coached Shedeur at Colorado, raised some eyebrows when he joked that he would dictate where his son lands in the draft. The 23-year-old also reportedly had negative experiences during his interviews with teams. While he was widely projected to be a first-round pick, he ended up being drafted at No. 144 with five quarterbacks selected before him.

Shedeur Sanders will continue to be under the spotlight as he embarks on his NFL career, as many will be curious to see how he fares without his father's involvement.