"Tennessee got a great one": Pat McAfee applauds Cam Ward's reaction to Shedeur Sanders' surprising request

Shedeur Sanders's dramatic slip to the fifth round has sparked a debate on the players' mindset going into the draft. After Boomer Esiason claimed Sanders's attitude prompted teams to snub him in the early rounds, Pat McAfee joined the conversation by praising Cam Ward’s mindset as a contrast.

He brought up a recent viral moment between Ward and Sanders to illustrate his point. On “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, the former NFL star noted Ward’s response to Sanders’s idea of making a song together. Ward had declined the offer, stating that he only wanted to be known for football.

“From zero stars to the number one overall pick, all betting on yourself, believing in yourself, and never changing. There's a video, obviously, that has come out of him and Shedeur Sanders talking and Shedeur said, like, 'Hey, we should make a song together.' And he go, 'I don't make songs,'" McAfee said.

"He said, 'I'm a football player, when people search for Cam Ward, I want it to say American football. That is all I want.' Tennessee got a great one down there with an amazing story, an American dream. I think that is what the draft is all about,” the 37-year-old added.

Cam Ward’s rise from an unranked high school recruit to the No. 1 overall pick was finalized when the Titans drafted him in Green Bay. Leading up to the draft, Ward had been the clear favorite.

However, Shedeur Sanders’ draft experience took quite a turn. Once projected as one of the top QBs behind Ward, he fell out of the first round. Jaxson Dart, selected by the Giants at No. 25, was the only other QB taken in the opening round.

At his introductory press conference with Tennessee, Ward was asked about Sanders’s slide. Having trained together, he spoke highly of the Colorado star's talent, pointing to his playmaking ability for the Buffs.

Ward said that he was surprised by Sanders’s drop, believing that he’d eventually make the most of his opportunity when he gets the chance.

As of now, Sanders’s fall has been linked to questions around his pre-draft preparation and evaluation concerns. He landed with Cleveland, selected in the fifth round at No. 144 overall.

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Kyle Brandt questions lack of spotlight on No. 1 pick Cam Ward

Kyle Brandt raised concerns over the lack of attention Cam Ward received after being drafted first overall in the draft. Speaking on “Good Morning Football” on Monday, he compared the limelight on Ward to that on Kobee Minor, the final pick of the draft. Brandt stated that Minor, named “Mr. Irrelevant,” appeared to have generated more hype than Ward.

Brandt further emphasized that he’d “never seen less focus” on a top pick, noting that conversations quickly shifted away from Ward to Shedeur Sanders during the media coverage. He pointed out that Ward’s announcement barely finished before attention turned elsewhere.

Despite Cam Ward’s top billing, broader draft discussions often centered around other QBs, particularly Sanders.