2025 NFL Draft: "That's the first litmus test": Chris Simms reveals why NFL teams were "turned off" by Shedeur Sanders during draft process

Shedeur Sanders and his fans had one of the most shocking draft experiences this year. The former Colorado quarterback, once projected to be a top five selection, went unpicked in the first two days.

There are many theories about the potential reasons behind Sanders' reduced draft stock, from his reported "arrogant" and "brash" attitude to his decision not to throw at the NFL Combine or Colorado's pro day.

During a heated discussion on the "NFL on NBC" show, Mike Florio and Chris Simms discussed why Sanders only had himself to blame for not getting picked in the first four rounds.

"He disrespected the process," Simms said on Monday (02:10). "If there's one thing, he has fault in, it's that. That's the first litmus test of the NFL — is he going to work? Is he going to be ready? Is he going to be prepared? These are the things you can control, and yes, that's where he disrespected the process, and that's where a lot of the NFL was very turned off by Shedeur Sanders."

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Floria also drew comparisons between the Tim Tebow situation and Sanders, highlighting why teams didn't want to draft a player who gets more attention than their starter quarterback, as it happened when reporters ran by Joe Montana to get to Tebow.

Colin Cowherd blames Deion Sanders for Shedeur Sanders' draft fiasco

While many fans and analysts blamed Shedeur Sanders for falling to the fifth round of the draft, others, including Colin Cowherd, blamed Deion Sanders for how things went.

Cowherd bluntly shared that while Deion's intentions were in the right place, he did a disservice to Shedeur by making a few problematic statements.

This statement stems from the various instances when Deion expressed utmost confidence in his son, saying that he would interfere with certain teams' draft processes to pick him.

"And nobody wants just to note that, acknowledge that, mention that," Cowherd said on Sunday, via 'The Volume Sports' show. "You know, I have said on my show before, quarterback dad has become pageant mom. Where the heart is in the right place, but sometimes they do a disservice to their kids.".

Shedeur was eventually drafted at No. 133 by the Cleveland Browns, and he celebrated by jumping in the pool, and later with his friends and family.

About the author

Prasen is an NFL/College Sports analyst at Sportskeeda. A B.Tech/Civil Engineering graduate, he has two years of experience writing content.

For Prasen, providing historical angles relevant to the story is important, as it can give the reader useful information and help them relate it to the present. He thinks this keeps the content unique rather than just a bland reporting of facts. Prasen believes in fact-checking and researching relevant information as per the headline and context. He hates clickbait or misleading the reader.

A fan of the Colorado Buffaloes since Deion Sanders took over as coach, Prasen expects Coach Prime to make the Buffs a national championship contender. Nick Saban is his favorite all-time coach, while Baker Mayfield and Caitlin Clark are his favorite players. Prasen considers Vince Young coming up clutch for the Texas Longhorns in the dying seconds of the 2017 national championship game against the USC Trojans as the most iconic moment of all time.

Per Prasen, College Sports is competitive and garners attention but it is just the beginning, where a student-athlete can show their skills and potential to make it to the big leagues. When he is not researching and writing, Prasen’s hobbies include pursuing higher studies and playing sports.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez