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Skip Bayless is the latest man to accuse the Las Vegas Raiders' Tom Brady of blocking a move to pick Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft, suggesting he spent too much time with the 23-year-old to not be involved in the decision.
Sanders did work with the ex-New England Patriot quarterback before declaring his intent to turn professional following a strong year with the Colorado Buffaloes in the NCAA.
However, despite being tipped as first round pick, he fell all the way down to 144th and was eventually taken by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round in one of the most shocking draft slumps ever.
Executives claimed fears regarding a poor interview, the role of his father in his career and weaknesses in his game left him on the backfoot; although this doesn't really apply to the Raiders thanks to the Brady connection.
Which is part of why Bayless believes the 47-year-old seven-time champion blocked the Allegiant Stadium from picking Shedeur, something that the man from San Mateo denies as he stresses he wasn't involved.
"So, Tom Brady wants us to believe his good friend Spytek," Bayless said on the Skip Bayless Show. "Who also was an executive with the Buccaneers when Tom won the Super Bowl down in Tampa, that the GM of the Raiders wouldn't ask him, as a Raiders owner, one thing about Shedeur?
"Come on, Nobody knew more about Shedeur than you did, Tom. You spent so much time around the kid, and let's just face up to it, you obviously vetoed that kid to Spytek.
"I mean the Raiders ed on Shedeur seven times before Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam overruled his executives, and his coaches, and took Shedeur in the fifth round."
Brady backs Sanders to succeed
Sanders' slump suggested a league-wide consensus that he wasn't worth the hype surrounding any potential talent he could bring to the table, with even the Browns ing over him to pick Dillon Gabriel.
Other QB-desperate teams such as the Raiders, New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans also turned their noses up as fans watched on amazed but Brady insists draft position doesn't actually matter.
"It's a good question," Brady said on the Impaulsive podcast. "I wasn't a part of any evaluation process.
"I actually texted Shedeur because I know him very well, and I said, 'Dude, like, whatever happens, wherever you go, like, that's your first day. Day 2 matters more than the draft.'
"'I was [pick] 199. So, who could speak on it better than me, like, what that really means? Use it as motivation. You're gonna get your chances. Go take advantage of it.'"
The 23-year-old Buffaloes graduate will now turn his attention to winning the starting spot ahead of Gabriel, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett at the Huntington Bank Field for the season opener in September.