Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders endured one of the most stunning drops in NFL Draft history last month, slipping from early first-round projections all the way to the fifth round before landing with the Cleveland Browns.
Sanders’ massive tumble not only shocked mock drafts – it also fueled an unlikely public spat between draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. and Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal.
During ESPN’s televised coverage, Kiper repeatedly sang Sanders’ praises and openly questioned why teams overlooked the high-profile quarterback.
Kiper’s commentary quickly took on a pointed edge: “Mario Cristobal claims he spoke to a million people about Cam Ward, yet the one he didn’t speak to, being me, had Ward ranked higher (6th on my Big Board) than any of the other draft experts,” he said.
“Interesting, isn’t it? And oh, by the way, I didn’t speak to Deion about Shedeur either. I need another Orange Crush after this nonsense.”
Kiper’s remarks called attention to a broader debate over how prospects are evaluated – and whether insider conversations sway draft boards more than on-field performance.
The exchange struck a chord with Sanders’ father and coach, Deion Sanders, who took to X to salute Kiper’s on-air advocacy for his son – even though they’d never conferred before the draft.
“But I Love u my man! You stood on the desk with great balance, 10 toes down, and said what u doggone said & didn’t flinch. You knew what time it was my man & we’re blessed to be right where God wanted us to be. ‘With OPPORTUNITY,’ they forgot I was in the tv/entertainment business for 20 years before coaching,” Coach Prime posted on X.
Despite his unexpected fall, Shedeur Sanders arrives in Cleveland amid genuine excitement – and with vocal support from one of the draft’s most polarizing voices.
Only time will tell how Sanders’ NFL career turns out. However, there’s a reason why Kiper was trending nearly as much as Shedeur on draft weekend.
Whether right or wrong, some NFL fans lost respect for Kiper for his non-stop cheerleading for Sanders.
Where do you stand on the debate? … Do you think Kiper was purely giving his truthful analysis of Sanders as a prospect? Or do you think there’s more to the story???
