With the 2025 NFL Draft fast approaching, quarterback Shedeur Sanders has found himself at the center of speculation, with some reports questioning his demeanor during the NFL Combine.
However, veteran reporter Josina Anderson has spoken out against what she sees as an unfair and biased portrayal of the Colorado quarterback, particularly the claim that he came across as “brash” and “arrogant” in team interviews.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Anderson expressed frustration over an unnamed quarterback coach from a team drafting in the top seven, who reportedly spread negative feedback about Sanders following their combine meeting.
“I am disappointed to hear that a quarterback’s coach from a team drafting in the top 7 referred to Shedeur Sanders as coming off ‘brash’ and ‘arrogant’ in his team interview and making his assessment known to a number of people, per source,” Anderson posted.
She noted that this assessment was completely at odds with how Sanders presented himself to the media, where he was “cordial, polite, witty, thoughtful” and displayed confidence-qualities often seen in top athletes.
Anderson suggested that the coach’s remarks might be influenced by preconceived notions rather than an objective evaluation of Sanders’ personality.
“According to league sources, said QB coach seems to have issue with ‘the culture’ of athletes who have broad fame and financial success before entering the NFL, and in their opinions, appears to them to have a problem with certain athletes – I’ll leave it at that,” she added.
Is this a draft smokescreen?
It’s common for negative rumors to surface ahead of the NFL Draft, sometimes as intentional smokescreens by teams hoping to decrease a prospect’s draft stock.
Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda recently reported that some teams had become wary of Sanders due to “a lack of year-over-year improvement” and concerns over his behavior since January.
However, Deion Sanders, Shedeur’s father and head coach at Colorado, anticipated this kind of criticism and advised his son not to take it to heart.
“I told him, ‘First of all, don’t believe nothing that they say. Because people are going to criticize you, so you fall to them. That’s how it is. It’s positioning right now,'” Deion explained. “But he’s speaking to the guys that make the moves, so he’s not listening to the media.”
Despite the criticism, Shedeur Sanders has demonstrated clear improvement, with significant statistical growth between 2023 and 2024: In the 2023 season: 3,230 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, then to the 2024 season: 4,134 passing yards, 37 touchdowns.
Colorado also saw an improvement in team performance, going from 4-8 in 2023 to 9-4 in 2024 with Sanders leading the offense.
Currently, ESPN’s Mel Kiper predicts that Sanders could be drafted seventh overall by the New York Jets, though he has also been linked to the New York Giants at No. 3.
Meanwhile, Miami quarterback Cam Ward is emerging as a strong contender to be the first quarterback off the board.
As draft day nears, the conversation around Sanders highlights the complexity of pre-draft narratives, where off-field opinions can sometimes overshadow actual performance.
Whether this speculation impacts his draft stock remains to be seen, but Sanders, like his father, seems prepared to let his game do the talking.
Read the full article here
