Deion Sanders Says Eagles Eyed Shedeur in NFL Draft, Explains Rumors on Lamar, Ravens

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said the Philadelphia Eagles contacted Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL draft prior to his selection by the Cleveland Browns.

Coach Prime rehashed the draft on the newest episode of the New Heights podcast. During the interview, he also addressed a report about Shedeur balking at the idea of getting picked by the Baltimore Ravens.

"How in the world can somebody fault him for saying or thinking, 'Why in the world would I go back up Lamar (Jackson) for 10 more years?'" Sanders said. "I've never sat on the bench and said, 'Well, I learned a lot today.'"

On one hand, it's tough to argue with the logic. Jackson is the Ravens' franchise quarterback and that's going to remain the case for a while when he's still only 28.

Having said that, Jackson has started a full season just once in his career. Being the backup in Baltimore means likely earning one or two starts at a minimum in a given year.

There's also the fact that prioritizing playing time may not have put Sanders in a much better position. He's third in the Browns' depth chart behind Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel, and it's not out of the question that Cleveland could angle for another quarterback early in the 2026 NFL draft.

Not to mention, few franchises have historically been worse at developing young QBs than the Browns.

It's not uncommon for players to be selective when they fall to the third day of the draft. Being an undrafted free agent provides a little more freedom in choosing your next destination.

But Sanders and his camp seem to have misread how NFL teams evaluated his skill set. Quarterbacks who go in the fifth round rarely have a straightforward path to a starting gig.

Sure, he wouldn't have received many game reps as Jackson's backup, but sitting behind the two-time MVP for a year or two may have boosted his stock to a point where a QB-needy team was prepared to trade for him and give him a chance.