“Deion Sanders screwed up”: Jason Whitlock takes bold shots at Coach Prime for ruining Shedeur Sanders’ NFL draft process

Deion Sanders and Shedeur Sanders made history during the past four college football seasons. The father-and-son duo helped make the Jackson State Tigers an HBCU college football powerhouse. Then, they made the move to Colorado and guided the program to a top-25 ranking in college football.

However, despite Shedeur Sanders winning the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Award, he slipped down the 2025 NFL draft rankings until the Cleveland Browns selected him. Veteran sports broadcaster Jason Whitlock had a theory behind Shedeur's monumental fall in this year's draft.

Whitlock made a post on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account. He posted,

"The inability for people to recognize that Deion Sanders screwed up his son's NFL Draft process speaks to the level of racial and celebrity idolatry rampant in American culture. It's never a black celeb's fault. Sins of the father visited on the son. Obvious."

Jason Whitlock made this bold assertion shortly after Shedeur Sanders was drafted by the Cleveland Browns on Day 3 in the 2025 Draft. He believes that Shedeur's Hall of Fame father and former coach is the culprit behind his low draft position.

---

Shedeur Sanders falls to Round 5 in the 2025 NFL Draft

Initially projected to be an early first-round pick, Shedeur Sanders endured one of the most shocking falls in modern NFL history. He was ignored by all 32 teams in the NFL multiple times until the Cleveland Browns selected him with the No. 144 pick of the draft.

Sanders is the second quarterback that the Browns are selecting in 2025 after selecting Dillon Gabriel in Round 3. The duo will join veterans Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett in a loaded quarterback room.

Shedeur Sanders will now be tasked with beating out at least two QBs to make the 53-player active roster squad for Week 1. It's a far cry from his projections, especially after helping the Colorado Buffaloes to a 9-4 record in the 2024 college football season.

Shedeur will have a new coach, Kevin Stefanski, as his first HC not named Deion Sanders. Stefanski, a two-time Head Coach of the Year, will aim to maximize Sanders and the squad for the 2025 season.

Shedeur Sanders has always played with a chip on his shoulder, and this year's draft will likely motivate him further to prove that none of the 143 players picked before him are superior at the highest level.