Being drafted into the NFL is a huge milestone for any college athlete. It should definitely be a moment for celebration, but after what happened last week with former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, I can’t say I’d be excited about it.
Shedeur fell into the fifth round and was selected 144th overall. In response, he decided to spend big money on a party in Dallas. Why? To celebrate what feels like a humiliation. Rather than acknowledging the need to work on his public image and his football skills, he seems to be using the occasion to mask that shame.
Since 2021, college athletes have been allowed to manage NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) commercial deals with brands and sponsorships. While many have successfully leveraged these opportunities for their careers and those of their teammates-like Livvy Dunne at LSU-Shedeur’s case is a striking exception. His fall to the fifth round, despite being projected as a top-five pick, was a clear statement from NFL front offices and team owners. Reports indicate that Shedeur did not give his all during one-on-one interviews and had a poor attitude with many teams.
He believed he would be drafted by the Giants and felt he deserved that selection. However, when a team that he considered to be less desirable called his name, he either did not show up or performed poorly. The Giants, with Joe Schoen as GM and Brian Daboll as head coach, were indeed seen as the favorites to draft Shedeur.
This changed just days before the draft when he interviewed with the Giants. Tensions were high, especially when Brian Daboll asked him about a defensive change during a snap-something Shedeur should have known. Shedeur felt offended by the question and had an argument with the coach, effectively eliminating any chance he had of being drafted by the Giants.
They ended up humiliating him by trading up in the draft to select Jaxson Dart instead. After that, the Browns picked Dillon Gabriel, the Seahawks chose Jalen Milroe, the Saints selected Tyler Shough, and the Titans took Cam Ward first overall. Shedeur was left exposed.
He entered the NFL with riches, believing he could simply choose the program and team he wanted to play for. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case, and while I can’t say for certain that his hefty sponsorship deals during college contributed to this mindset, I think they likely affected how he views the situation.
In what world is it acceptable for a 23-year-old to spend lavishly on a club in Dallas instead of focusing on the NFL? Look at Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves, who is just one game away from eliminating LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and the Lakers-he understands what it takes to compete at the highest level.
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