Sportsnaut
Did Shedeur Sanders want NFL teams to actually recruit him instead of treating pre-draft visits as a job interview? That’s what one team executive tells The Athletic’s NFL insider Dianna Russini.
“I believe Shedeur approached these visits with teams as a recruiting trip versus a job interview,” the executive told Russini, which she revealed on her “Scoop City” podcast.
From the conversations I've had coming out of draft weekend, league sources tell me that they believe Shedeur Sanders' tumble would have played out differently if he had an agent.
He would have been better prepared for the pre-draft process ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/ZWIauPMcoG
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 29, 2025
The executive pointed to Sanders’ decision to forgo hiring an agent as a critical mistake that left him unprepared for how NFL teams evaluate quarterback prospects.
Sanders skipped both the Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine, missing key opportunities to showcase his skills to talent evaluators who weren’t as high on him as media outlets suggesting he was the second-best quarterback in the class.
The Colorado product ultimately fell to pick No. 144, where the Cleveland Browns traded up to select him despite already drafting quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round. Four other quarterbacks — Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough and Jalen Milroe — were all selected before Sanders.
“Scoop City” podcast co-host Chase Daniel attributed Sanders’ draft slide to concerns about intangibles rather than on-field performance.
“It wasn’t his play on the field because his play on the field, it’s good. It’s not great, but it’s good,” Daniel said. “And he didn’t fall in the draft because of his talent. Teams will often overlook character concerns or medical concerns in two seconds if they think the talent is worth it.”
Daniel added: “You have to kiss the ring a little bit. You got to play the game a little bit. Well, Shedeur Sanders and his camp, they did not.”
Despite his draft-day tumble, Sanders could still compete for playing time in Cleveland this season. The Browns’ quarterback situation remains unsettled with Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Deshaun Watson — who is expected to miss most or all of the 2025 season after re-rupturing his Achilles — rounding out the depth chart alongside Sanders and Gabriel.
More must-reads:
