Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders not being selected in the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft is the talk of the hour in the sports world. The 23-year-old senior was projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the fall, but now his fate hangs in the balance.
The uproar is so intense that it has reached the NCAA basketball world.
Bronny James vs. Shedeur Sanders
After learning that every NFL team passed on Deion Sanders’ son in the first three rounds of the draft, popular sports content creator IcyVert was one of the first to respond on X, noting that another sports star’s son, Bronny James (son of LeBron), was drafted better of how Sanders will be:
Bronny James was drafted higher than Sheduer Sanders
— IcyVert (@IcyVert) April 26, 2025
The topic has gone viral among NCAA basketball fans, and the reactions from fans and pundits alike are countless:
The only difference between Shedeur Sanders and Bronny James is Shedeur doesn’t have his dad actively playing on a team to get him drafted earlier than he deserves.
— Andrew Marcum (@PITmanStats) April 26, 2025
The fact that Sanders was not selected in the first three rounds means that at best he will be the 103rd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (he might do worse, though). Bronny James was the 55th pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, selected by the Los Angeles Lakers, where his father also plays.
However, this does not necessarily determine whether Sanders’ NFL career will be more or less relevant. In the NBA, for example, many players have become stars after being drafted in relatively low spots.
To name a few, San Antonio Spurs star Manu Ginobili was selected 57th overall in the 1999 draft, two-time NBA All-Star Isahia Thomas was selected 60th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2011 draft, and 2023 NBA Champion and Finals MVP Nikola Jokic was selected 41st overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 2014 draft.
Similar examples can be found in every major sport in the United States.
Bronny James has played only 27 NBA games since being signed by the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging 6.7 minutes, 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game.
KEEP READING: Top QBs Still on Board Heading Into Day 3 of 2025 NFL Draft Ft. Shedeur Sanders, Quinn Ewers and More
He has also played for the South Bay Lakers of the NBA G League, where he appeared in 18 games but had much more impact (31.4 minutes per game). In the developmental league, he averaged 18.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game.
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