What does Shedeur Sanders' NFL draft snub mean in NBA terms?
Shedeur Sanders started this week expecting to be drafted no lower than the top 10 in the 2025 NFL draft. The Colorado Buffaloes star was considered the second-best quarterback after Cam Ward, who the Tennessee Titans drafted with the No. 1 overall pick.
Sanders saw how the next two teams, the Cleveland Browns and the New York Giants, traded their pick and went with a pass rusher, respectively.
As more teams selected players, only a handful of franchises were expected to make a swing on Sanders and add him to the roster. The New Orleans Saints (No. 9 pick), Miami Dolphins (No. 13), and Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 21) all passed up on Shedeur Sanders, surprising many fans and analysts in the process.
Ultimately, the Browns used their final draft selection and landed Sanders with the No. 144 overall pick in Day 3 of the 2025 event.
To explain this situation in NBA terms, it would be like watching Dylan Harper be selected late in the second round of the NBA draft. The former Rutgers Scarlet Knights star also had a father who played in the league and won championships while thriving with several teams.
Although Ron Harper wasn't as famous or influential as Deion Sanders, his son has followed in his footsteps and has a serious chance to become a solid starter in the league.
In Shedeur Sanders' case, however, he was criticized for his attitude when meeting with possible NFL teams. Additionally, Deion Sanders talking about blocking a move to whichever team he didn't like his kid to go to also hurt the quarterback's draft stock.
Was Shedeur Sanders subjected to the same criticism that Bronny James received?
Even though Deion Sanders' intentions to force a trade if he didn't like the team drafting his kid were eerily similar to LeBron James reportedly blocking opposing teams from drafting Bronny James, the quarterback and the guard didn't enter the league with the same expectations.
Shedeur Sanders played four years in college, as opposed to James' only season. He finished his collegiate career posting impressive numbers (4,134 on 74 percent pass completion, racking up 37 passing touchdowns) while Bronny had to overcome his cardiac emergency in his freshman campaign, barely posting 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 games.
Sanders was considered a second-round pick at worst, but his pre-draft interviews hurt his case. As for Bronny, the criticism was aimed at his father for trying to push a narrative that didn't sit well with fans and analysts.