Football is the Sanders fam’s full-on show. And Shedeur Sanders has been living that hype train life since going pro, no brakes. Feels like every day, a new headline smacks his name in bold, but the reality check is also hitting harder than a blindside blitz. He rode his team to a 9-4 season, sure, but that hype train? It’s derailed. From a surefire No. 1 draft pick to scrambling to stay in the top 10, Shedeur’s seen his stock plummet. Scouts are throwing around words like “arrogant” and “brash,” and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. His draft prospects aren’t just declining; they’re spiraling like a fumbled snap in overtime. And to top it off? His pops, Deion Sanders, isn’t exactly throwing him a lifeline—if anything, he’s strapping on the extra weight.
Now, let’s talk teams. This offseason, quarterback-hungry squads with top picks are circling like vultures. The New York Giants, sitting at the no. 3 overall pick, are practically salivating. They’ve got one QB on the roster, Tommy Devito. One. Freaking. Devito. Sure, they might chase veterans like Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson, but they’ve also shown serious eyes for Shedeur. RJ Young even threw this out there: “I still think Shedeur Sanders ought to end up in New York, and that’s only because Cam Ward is the consensus number one according to the people that make the NFL draft mocks.” And it seems the Giants had reps at every Buffs game this past season.
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah dropped this bomb: “I was told by someone, outside of the Giants organization but someone inside the league, that said the Giants had a presence at every single Colorado game this year.” You don’t do that for kicks, right? There’s got to be some tea.
But RJ Young’s prediction might be stale. The Giants just inked 31-year-old Jameis Winston to a two-year, $8 million deal. Even if they draft Shedeur at no. 3, he’s looking at a year or two riding the bench. Giants fading? Just the start of Shedeur’s draft-day blues.
Then, there’s the Cleveland Browns, sitting at the No. 2 pick. They’ve rolled out the red carpet; Shedeur’s even paid them an official visit. They’re itching for a fresh start after the Deshaun Watson debacle. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler chimed in, “I do know there’s some love there for Shedeur Sanders and sort of his computer brain to be able to feel out the game mentally. They have some respect for what Shedeur can do in that area, maybe more than some teams.” Sounds promising, right? Hold up.
The Browns just threw a curveball, snagging Kenny Pickett from the Eagles, and they’re reportedly hosting former Louisville QB Tyler Shough for a top-30 visit. Shedeur’s Cleveland dreams? Suddenly looking shaky. And to pile on, he’s got the baggage of Coach Prime’s name.
Shedeur Sanders facing the weight of his last name
The wolves are circling, but Shedeur’s standing his ground. Nepotism labels? Average player tags? Mock drafts shoving him outside the top 25? He’s heard it all. And he’s not backing down. He’s brushing off the noise, leaning on his stats, and stockpiling receipts. 4134 yards and 37 TDs last season? Not too shabby. But those 90-plus sacks in two seasons? RJ Young nails it: “I think if you’re going to pick on him for anything at all, it is perhaps holding on to the ba-l a little bit too long. A lot of sacks he took the last couple of years.” That’s the only blot on his record. Oh, and the whole “famous dad” thing.
“I think you’re also dealing with the baggage that is his father. Like, and I say baggage, and I’m going to try to put a positive connotation on that for Deion, because I think having a famous father is always going to overshadow a kid, no matter who you are,” Young adds. But Deion? He is taking the high road, highlighting how the Sanders family has always been through such adversities.
And Shedeur’s firing back at the nepotism claims with stats and a 74% completion rate. What more do they want? “Deion, I think, has handled it well. He’s been the damn dude’s damn head coach, you know? And he’s also had to deal with the allegations of nepotism, which aren’t really allegations if they are working right. Nepotism, when it’s done well, breeds opportunity for the folks that have been handed down tradition,” Young says.
Meanwhile, Shedeur’s not shying away from his legacy. “It’s been my last name my whole life, so I understand what Dad did, being able to put us on a great platform and being able to let the legacy get handed off to us as kids. We just have to withhold and uphold that name to the highest standard,” he says. He’s ready to carry the torch. But with NFL teams playing musical chairs with quarterbacks, where does Shedeur Sanders land? That’s the million-dollar question, and the answer’s anyone’s guess.
The post Crisis Strikes Shedeur Sanders as Double Jolt Puts NFL Future at Risk After Tough Coach Prime ‘Baggage’ Revelation appeared first on EssentiallySports.