Shedeuer Sanders continues to be the hottest topic of the NFL Draft, now Stephen A. Smith has said why he thinks NFL teams are hesitant to draft the quarterback.
Do NFL Teams want to deal with Shedeur Sanders?
Sanders has had back-to-back stellar seasons with the Colorado Buffaloes, leading them to their first winning season since 2016 with a 9-4 record. Individually, he threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, while leading the FBS across multiple categories.
With Sanders following in his father’s footsteps, he has become the topic of many media narratives and has become and easy way for outlets to generate clicks.
Stephen A. Smith took to “First Take” and said, “People don’t want the thought of dealing with him [Shedeur] because they would have to deal with his dad. Your dad’s going to be in your ear, your dad’s going to talk to you, your dad’s one of the greatest athletes that ever lived. As a result, he is going to ask questions.”
.@stephenasmith says NFL teams don’t want to deal with Shedeur Sanders because of his dad’s influence and they “can’t admit it.” 👀
“[Shedeur’s] not gonna just take instructions … he’s going to challenge your football intellect.” 😳 pic.twitter.com/ajCy2r0HK5
— First Take (@FirstTake) April 23, 2025
Smith continued to say “he is not gonna just take instructions, he’s going to challenge your football intellect” and that NFL teams are not willing to admit it.
Sanders is the consensus No.2 QB in the draft class, with many having Florida’s Cam Ward as the best, and is likely to go at pick one to the Tennessee Titans. Sanders, however, has seen a real mixed bag of projections.
Some see him as a top-5 or top-10 pick, while others think he will go later in the first round. The Pittsburgh Steelers are heavily interested.
Coach Prime has been Shedeur’s college head coach all through his career, from Jackson State to Colorado. This has led many people to question how good Shedeur really is and whether he can become the face of an NFL franchise.
There is no doubt in the QB’s confidence and belief, but Smith, like others, is not convinced that Deion and Shedeur will work apart.
Should Shedeur go early in the draft, he will be asked to do a lot of what he has done at the college level. He was not protected very well at Colorado, but he managed to raise the team’s level and take them to a top-25 program.
College football analyst Joel Klatt felt that it is lazy journalism. The media pick the most controversial player in the draft and rinse and repeat every year.
There is a great skillset and competitive nature that comes with the Sanders family and Shedeur, more than backs himself. The NFL is a completely different level, and any young QB needs the backing of their head coach and their team. Many think the Steelers are the perfect destination because of their winning culture and Mike Tomlin’s leadership.
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If Sanders were to go into an organization that is in all kinds of mess, then he will continue to be targeted if the team is not able to turn it around.
Tomorrow night, the NFL Draft will get underway in Green Bay, with Shedeur expecting to be a high draft pick. Who will be the team to select him and look to Shedeur Sanders to change their franchise’s fortune?
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