Shedeur Sanders' NFL Draft fall ignites fiery debate between ESPN broadcasters

Shedeur Sanders’ descent from a projected first-round prime to an eventual fifth-round enactment proved to beryllium the astir polarizing taxable of the NFL Draft implicit the weekend.

ESPN draught expert Mel Kiper Jr. was 1 of the staunch defenders of Sanders and was shocked implicit his autumn to the Cleveland Browns. The annoyed broadcaster teed disconnected connected teams aft Sanders was picked, and it led to a clash betwixt him and chap workfellow Rece Davis.

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Oct. 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona: Colorado Buffaloes backmost Shedeur Sanders (2) against the Arizona State Sun Devils astatine Mountain America Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA Today Sports)

NFL expert Louis Riddick explained to Kiper that the question wasn’t astir whether Sanders could play backmost but, from a squad perspective, whether they privation him to play the position. 

Kiper, perplexed, couldn’t recognize wherefore a squad wouldn’t privation Sanders, considering that he’s "one of the toughest quarterbacks you’ve ever seen." Riddick responded, "This is personal," astir the crushed wherefore Sanders fell. Kiper added that Sanders hasn’t had an "off-the-field issue."

Davis past agreed with Riddick erstwhile helium said that the "draft has spoken."

"That’s the key, Mel. It’s not putting a worth judgement who passed were close oregon wrong. They did. So, now, whenever you’re successful circumstances successful life, whether you similar them, whether you don’t similar them, whether they’re just oregon whether they’re unfair, you mightiness person to woody with them," Davis said. "And present Shedeur Sanders has to woody with them. 

NFL INVESTIGATING HOW SHEDEUR SANDERS' PHONE NUMBER WAS LEAKED FOR PRANK CALL DURING DRAFT

A surface shows Colorado backmost Shedeur Sanders aft being chosen by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th wide prime during the 3rd time of the NFL shot draft, Saturday, April 26, 2025, successful Green Bay, Wis.  (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

"And for immoderate reason, whether helium played a minute, microscopic percentage, zero percentage, oregon it’s a morganatic disapproval of the mode helium conducted himself during the draught process, this was the result. Now helium has an accidental to reply it. I deliberation yelling astatine the NFL astir it is not productive."

Kiper enactment the onus connected the league for its deficiency of due valuation erstwhile it came to quarterbacks.

"Boomer Esiason was not blessed erstwhile helium was a second-round pick," Kiper said. "Tom Brady was not happy. They dropped. How’d they crook out? My constituent is, Rece, the NFL has been clueless for 50 years erstwhile it comes to evaluating quarterbacks. Clueless. 

"They person nary thought what they’re doing successful presumption of evaluating quarterbacks. That’s proof. There’s impervious of that. They tin say, ‘We cognize precisely what we’re talking astir with quarterbacks.’ They don’t."

The statement continued from determination arsenic Kiper defended Sanders for exuding assurance up of the draft.

Shedeur Sanders, left, and Travis Hunter, right, respond to their jersey retirements during Colorado's NCAA assemblage shot outpouring game, Saturday, April 19, 2025, successful Boulder, Colo.  (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

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The Browns made Sanders the No. 144 prime of the NFL Draft.

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