Mel Kiper Jr. draws bold comparisons between Shedeur Sanders and Eli Manning

When Mel Kiper Jr. released his first NFL mock draft in January, many fans felt shaken. He projected Deion Sanders' son, Shedeur Sanders, to go to the New York Jets at No. 7, saying that the Colorado quarterback can help the team improve.

Kiper released his latest mock draft, projecting Sanders to be selected third overall by the New York Giants.

"I think it's a great fit because he can deal with pressure and expectations, and he can deal with the big stage," Kiper said on ESPN's SportsCenter on Tuesday. "Eli Manning came there. The same type of way, you know, with the father being around football, same thing with Deion and Shedeur, the accuracy when he's rushed and pressured, and he was under constant duress, that's NFL ready. ...

"This kid is a baller. He's a quarterback who has a mentality that I think will galvanize an organization and change a culture I like to fit in New York."

NFL fans react to Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest take on Shedeur Sanders

Shedeur Sanders became the talk of the town after the 2025 Scouting Combine, where it was reported that many NFL teams had concerns with the Colorado star's attitude, calling him "brash" and "arrogant."

However, that contradicts Mel Kiper Jr.'s analysis of Sanders, to which one fan said,

"Thought he had character issues? It's funny how the narrative switched so quick."

"Mel Kiper is wrong on a constant basis," another fan said.

"Then why didn't you mock him to the Browns man? That team needs a culture shift in the worst way," another fan asked about Kiper's mock draft.

Another fan questioned,

"So then why does he have Cleveland not picking him? Doesn’t Cleveland need a franchise-changing quarterback?"

"Mel is a woke mafia," another fan expressed frustration.

"ESPN said you still want a job Mel??" another fan added.

The 2025 NFL draft is set to take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on April 24-26.