- NCAA. Shedeur Sanders reveals why he 'doesn't want' Deion Sanders' help as NFL Draft looms
- NCAA. Travis Hunter opens up on his preferred position leaving Titans and Browns at odds over his future
There are some years in which it is very clear which player is the top overall prospect, and you can already plan for how this player will look in his new home. Take Caleb Williams, for example; the former USC quarterback, a Heisman Trophy winner, was the consensus top prospect available in 2024, and he was the obvious first overall choice for a Chicago Bears team that needed a new signal-caller.
But in 2025, the #1 overall pick is not so clear-cut. Between Abdul Carter, Travis Hunter, Cam Ward, and Shedeur Sanders, experts and executives alike have wildly-different takes on the precise order in which this year's top players will be drafted -- and one of them, maybe Shedeur, faces a draft night that falls below their expectations.
Deion fears a draft night surprise
Shedeur's father Deion, who was also the quarterback's head coach at Colorado, is keenly aware of the recent discourse that has followed the 23-year-old on social media. Amid Shedeur's announcement that he would not throw at the NFL Scouting Combine this week, Deion has taken aim at "hot take culture" that threatens to cost Shedeur millions of dollars if he slides on draft night in April.
"Everyone wants attention & everyone has an opinion," Deion posted on X/Twitter. "When did they come to the conclusion that their opinion mattered? Their opinion ain't based on knowledge of subject or experience, it derives from their shortcomings."
Shedeur, who broke school ing records at Colorado in 2024 and attempted more than 900 es in two seasons there, has been strongly linked with the Cleveland Browns at #2 overall, as well as the New York Giants, who will pick third. But executives have been "turned off" by Shedeur's unwillingness to participate in Combine drills, which has furthered an unfair perception that Shedeur only wants the NFL "lifestyle" and isn't hungry to succeed in the pros.
Coach Prime is directly disputing this characterization of his son and is trying to get out in front of the hate. He told another X/Twitter that he was praying for them after this individual shamed Deion for his alleged role in convincing Shedeur to skip the Combine -- though the player did meet with Browns leadership on Wednesday, with two months to go until the 2025 draft.