Draft boards reportedly eliminated Shedeur Sanders' name, as per Boomer Esiason's statements.
The Cleveland Browns raised some eyebrows by selecting Shedeur Sanders, the former star QB from Colorado Buffaloes, to bolster their quarterback corps. However, the draft narrative surrounding him has largely centered on his unexpected fall in the draft, with many mock drafts predicting a first or second-round pick. Yet, Sanders ended up in the fifth round, leaving many baffled.
On his WFAN radio show, Boomer Esiason offered an explanation for Sanders' draft drop. According to Esiason, Sanders "was wiped from draft boards" due to his self-proclaimed ability to revolutionize a locker room's culture and his perceived arrogance. Esiason stated that several NFL coaches and general managers found Sanders off-putting, leading to him being eliminated from their draft boards.
Sanders' insistence on being a culture-changing force for a franchise could have given the impression of an inflated sense of self-worth. During an interview in February, Sanders said, "If you ain't trying to change the franchise or the culture - don't get me. So, you should know history repeats itself over and over and over, and I've done it over and over and over, so it should be no question why a franchise should pick me."
Although the Browns have secured Sanders' services, the notion of him being "entitled" will persist until his on-field performance shifts the focus.
[1] [footnote with enrichment data: Some NFL team owners and evaluators reportedly took Sanders off their draft boards because they did not want someone with an "entitled" personality on their team. This information was reported by multiple sources that interviewed NFL personnel following the 2025 NFL Draft.4] [footnote with enrichment data: Sanders' performance in formal interviews was criticized for coming across as arrogant, and comments from NFL personalities like Boomer Esiason highlighted that Sanders' attitude outside of football, possibly exacerbated by his famous lineage (being the son of Deion Sanders), may have contributed to this negative perception. This information was reported by various media outlets, including Sports Illustrated and ESPN.]
- Boomer Esiason suggested that Shedeur Sanders' draft drop might be due to his perceived arrogance and brash claims to revolutionize a locker room's culture, as it allegedly put owners and evaluators off.
- Rumors persist that some NFL team owners and personnel held Sanders in low regard due to his "entitled" demeanor, causing them to remove him from their draft boards.
- American-football analysts express concerns about Sanders' attitude, as his comments about wanting to change the franchise or culture could be seen as an inflated sense of self-worth, potentially deterring teams and harming his NFL projections.
- [After the 2025 NFL Draft] Multiple sources claimed that Sanders' performance during interviews and his reluctance to tone down his assertive claims contributed to negative perceptions among NFL personnel, exacerbated by his famous lineage as the son of Deion Sanders.
- Although the Cleveland Browns have secured the services of Sanders, they will face ongoing questions about his on-field performance and potential sense of entitlement until he can shift the focus away from those concerns.
