It was supposed to be a celebration—a moment etched in gold for the son of a legend. But instead of walking across the draft stage with a confident smile, Shedeur Sanders found himself under siege. First came the anonymous whispers, then the brutal scouting reports, and finally… the prank call. One moment he’s taking deep breaths before his name is announced. The next? He’s hanging up on what he thinks is an NFL GM, only to discover it was all a joke. When the dust settled, the world didn’t just question Shedeur’s talent—it questioned his character. And now, after weeks of scrutiny and speculation, a clearer picture of what the NFL really thinks is finally beginning to emerge.
On one side, the NFL is punishing Jeff Ulbrich and the Atlanta Falcons organization for breaching the privacy of Shedeur Sanders by exposing his official phone number. On the other side, analysts and insiders continue to dissect and debate the former Colorado QB’s future in the league. Despite being a fifth-round pick—144th overall—Sanders remains one of the most polarizing names from the 2025 NFL Draft.
In a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, veteran college football insider Bruce Feldman shed light on what NFL teams were really saying behind closed doors—and it wasn’t pretty. “There were no dominant traits or elite traits with him at all physically. You know, he’s got an okay size. He’s pretty accurate, but it’s not like elite arm talent. It’s definitely not elite athleticism. He holds on to the ball too long. He took a ton of sacks. People didn’t love the style of offense that he came out of. And I think there were some legit questions going in about how he fits in the quarterback room,” Feldman said bluntly.
The style in question—particularly Shedeur’s habit of patting the football in the pocket—has been criticized for making him a sitting duck for defenders. That trait was visible even during Colorado’s pro day and was cited by multiple scouts as a red flag. And the stats support the concern: In 2024 alone, Sanders was sacked 42 times. In 2023, that number was a staggering 52—numbers that suggest either poor decision-making or systemic offensive issues.
But that wasn’t all. When asked how Shedeur compared to fellow quarterback Cam Ward, Feldman replied, “Shedeur was a different story, right? I think if Shedeur’s skill set were Cam Ward’s, he would have still gotten taken, you know, in the first 10 picks. But he is not.” He added, “I mean, the coaches I talked to in the NFL were like they thought he was developmental.” That word—developmental—has hovered around Shedeur since long before the draft. But not everyone agrees with the narrative.
Former NFL offensive guard and current analyst Mark Schlereth fired back, suggesting that Shedeur’s perceived flaws were overblown and coachable. “It’s b——,” Schlereth said about the criticism of Shedeur’s arm talent. He argued that Sanders simply needed the right system and the right coaching.
Still, perhaps the most brutal criticism came not from a scout or an insider, but from an anonymous NFL coach quoted by reporter Tom Pelissero before the draft.
Anonymous coach’s hard take on Shedeur Sanders and Travis Kelce’s blunt take on the coach
“The worst formal interview I’ve ever been in my life. He’s so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. Never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates… but the biggest thing is, he is not that good.” That quote, supposedly from an NFL coach, shared widely just days before the draft, ignited outrage.
On New Heights, the podcast hosted by Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother Jason, Travis didn’t hold back. “I think whoever’s the f—— anonymous person that’s f—— saying this should f—— come out and say who they were. Like, what the f— is that about?” Kelce raged. “Like, if you’re going to f—— leak that type of s—, f—— be the one that says, ‘Yeah, it just didn’t go well for us.’ Don’t f—— say that we’re anonymous, ya know? That’s so f—— lame. I just feel like there’s no validity to it.”
Kelce’s defense struck a chord with many who felt that Sanders was being unfairly targeted—not just for his play, but for his pedigree. And the timing of it all, from the harsh anonymous quotes to the Falcons’ now-infamous prank call, painted a picture of a player enduring a media and league onslaught during one of the most important weeks of his life.
At the very least, the NFL’s decision to penalize the Falcons for their role in the call—$250,000 for the organization and $100,000 for Jeff Ulbrich—suggests they understood the gravity of the moment. Or… if Mike Florio is to be believed, it’s an attempt to cover up their own mistake. Regardless, Ulbrich publicly apologized: “I want to publicly apologize to Shedeur and the Sanders family for what occurred,” he said. “My actions of not protecting confidential data were inexcusable. My son’s (Jax Ulbrich) actions were absolutely inexcusable. And for that, we are both deeply sorry.” Jax, too, issued a public Instagram apology, taking accountability for the prank and asking Sanders for forgiveness.
But for Shedeur Sanders, the damage might already be done. He was already battling skepticism and whispers about his game. The prank call and anonymous critiques added insult to injury. At just 22, Shedeur now enters the NFL with more eyes on him than many first-rounders. And maybe that’s a good thing. Because if he is as coachable as Schlereth says, and if he can silence the doubters, this fifth-rounder might just end up being the league’s most compelling story yet.
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