Ex-Alabama RB shares blunt opinion on why Shedeur Sanders became a victim of the current CFB scenario

Shedeur Sanders entered the NFL draft as one of the most polarizing prospects. Once projected as a potential top-three pick by numerous outlets, the Colorado quarterback saw his draft stock plummet as the pre-draft process wound down. Even after an excellent season and reputation for pinpoint accuracy, Sanders watched as Round 1 came and went without hearing his name called.

Even more surprising was his continued slide on Friday, when he was not selected in the second or third round. Given Sanders’ strengths on the field, his tumble down draft boards has surprised many.

On Friday, former Alabama and NFL running back Damien Harris gave his assessment of the situation on "NFL on CBS."

“I think this is the NFL starting to take a stand with all the changes we’re seeing in the climate of college football," Harris said. "These kids have a lot of power, especially a kid like Shedeur, whose father happens to be Deion 'Prime Time' Sanders. Kids hold all the control and all the power when it comes to college football.

"Whenever that starts to transcend and work its way in and leak and creep into the NFL that’s when the owners are gonna put their foot down, that’s when the league is gonna put its foot down and say, ‘Enough is enough.’”

Harris argued that by virtue of his high profile, Sanders has become the face of modern college football, where players hold a lot of leverage.

“He does a lot of things well. But at the end of the day, this is not about Shedeur’s play, this is about the fact that he’s the most polarising, the brightest example of what college football is becoming and he is going to suffer because of it.

"He is suffering because the NFL is looking at him, ‘He’s our prime suspect of somebody we can make an example out of and send a message,’ and that is exactly what the NFL is doing.”

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Shedeur Sanders on not getting drafted on Friday

Following Day 1 of the draft, Shedeur Sanders said he didn’t expect or “know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things.” Someone even prank-called him pretending he got drafted, but told him to wait longer.

After he remained undrafted in the second round on Friday, Sanders shared a message on X.

"Thank you GOD for EVERYTHING," he wrote.

By the third round, several other quarterbacks, Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe and Dillon Gabriel, had been picked ahead of Sanders.