The NFL Draft is kinda like prom night, but for football freaks. Some guys pull up in suits, cheesin’ for the cameras, ready to dance. Others? They’d rather just chill at home in sweats, surrounded by snacks and their inner circle. Take Lamar Jackson—man straight-up skipped the glitz, posted up with his fam, and still got that first-round call. On the flip side, remember Aaron Rodgers?
The man walked in thinking he’d be the belle of the ball… and ended up watching 23 names flash by before Green Bay finally swiped right. The draft’s totally weird like that. Sometimes you’re the star of the show, sometimes you’re constantly trying to avoid that awkward moment when the camera is stuck on your face. But what’s the reason behind the draft prospects ditching the draft?
Well, a few of ’em just don’t want to grab the spotlight. While some prospects want to spend that memorable time with their family and loved ones. But the most interesting and obvious one? Yeah, those guys who aren’t 100% sure where they’ll be picked and just want to avoid sitting in that green room for too long, or maybe just want to avoid humiliation. Now that the NFL draft is just around the corner, we’re back to the same thing.
And if the reports are true, Shedeur Sanders (one of the top draft prospects) opted out to attend the NFL draft in Green Bay. Yeah, you read that right. Coach Prime’s kid won’t be there to find out for which team he’ll play for in 2025. The guy is widely projected as the second signal-caller to be drafted later this month.
Source: Kentucky CB Maxwell Hairston has also accepted his invitation to the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.
Hairston is a projected 1st round pick. https://t.co/fENsBOHadd
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 16, 2025
However, during the NFL Scouting Combine, Shedeur admitted that it makes more sense “cost-wise” for him to watch the NFL draft at home with his family and friends in Colorado or Dallas. “We’ll most likely do Colorado or Dallas,” Sanders said. “We didn’t decide fully yet. We plan on doing it, like an event thing, and where it’ll be fun.”
Shedeur’s draft stock? Well, one minute it’s skyrocketing, and the next, it’s doing the cha-cha with question marks—up, down, and all over the place. Earlier, Shedeur was projected to be drafted within the top 5 picks. But now? Well, now, it’s the tricky part. The QB is out there visiting every team with top draft picks.
At this point, the Titans are almost certain to draft Cam Ward. That said, Sanders reportedly visited the Cleveland Browns and the Las Vegas Raiders. The kicker? Well, the rumor mill is buzzing that despite signing Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, the Giants are still interested in drafting Sanders. The reason? Well, Shedeur is expected to visit the Giants (3rd overall pick) for a private workout session.
But if you’re thinking that this drama is just limited to the Giants, think again. Enter the Saints, who are stuck in QB limbo after Derek Carr’s shoulder injury. And right after that went down, the odds of the Saints drafting Shedeur Sanders with their 9th overall pick have skyrocketed. All in all, while Cam Ward’s selection is pretty much certain, it’s still unclear which team will call Sanders’ name a little more than a week later.
No wonder Shedeur Sanders decided to watch the NFL draft with his family and friends rather than waiting in that green room for too long. Meanwhile, the league has announced 17 draft prospects who are attending the draft this month.
Travis Hunter, Jalen Milroe, and 15 others to attend the draft
This year, 17 draft prospects have accepted the invitation to attend the NFL Draft in Green Bay. It’s four more than last year’s draft in Detroit. The interesting fact? Well, after the NFL draft went virtual back in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only once did the draft prospects’ attendance top 20 players. That was back in the 2021 draft in Vegas.
Among the 17 prospects, one of the biggest names is the former Miami quarterback, Cam Ward, who is projected to be drafted by the Titans with their 1st overall pick. Besides Ward, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe is also attending the draft. And that’s where it gets pretty interesting. As per the NFL analysts, Milroe isn’t going to hear his name in the first round of the draft. That means the guy will have to wait too long in the green room.
On the other side, Colorado’s running back/cornerback, Travis Hunter, who’s coming after recording the best season of his collegiate career, will also be in Green Bay. Hunter is expected to be picked in the top five. Speaking of which, Penn State’s edge rusher, Abdul Carter, will be in Green Bay as well, who’s projected to be picked in the top five as well.
All in all, while Shedeur Sanders decided to stay at his home rather than attend the draft, there are a few prospects who are ready to hear their name from April 24th to April 26th, 2024, in Green Bay.
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