Shedeur Sanders is stepping into the NFL with a chip on his shoulder and a famous last name that’s both a blessing and a burden. The Cleveland Browns’ fifth-round pick out of Colorado, where he played under his father, Deion Sanders, was expected to go much higher—maybe even first round. Instead, he slid to the 147th overall pick, and he’s not shy about why he thinks it happened. In a candid interview with Cleveland.com at John Marshall High School, where he spoke to students, Shedeur pointed the finger at the shadow cast by his dad, NFL legend Deion “Prime Time” Sanders. “They go based off their own—99% of hatred [directed at me] is toward pops,” he said. “And then I’m just his son.”
The younger Sanders believes the backlash he’s faced isn’t about his game—2,882 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and a 69.3% completion rate in his final year at Colorado—but about who his father is. Deion, a Hall of Fame cornerback and larger-than-life personality, has been a polarizing figure, especially as Colorado’s head coach. Shedeur feels that heat gets redirected at him, especially from older fans who remember Deion’s playing days. “It’s just the older generation that does it to me rather than the younger people,” he said. “When I come in person, there’s no negativity I see. But it’s all over online.” The kids at John Marshall? They weren’t throwing shade—they were all ears, hyped to hear from a 23-year-old QB chasing his NFL dream.
The online world, though, is a different story. X has been buzzing with takes on Shedeur’s draft slide, from fans calling it a “steal” for Cleveland to others saying his attitude and Deion’s influence turned teams off. One user posted, “Shedeur’s got the arm, but teams didn’t want the baggage.” Another clapped back, “Fifth round for a QB with his stats? That’s personal, not football.” The noise doesn’t faze Shedeur, who’s used to trolling back—he’s been posting highlights and clapping back at critics since his Colorado days. But now, in Cleveland, he’s got a steeper hill to climb. The Browns’ QB depth chart, released ahead of OTAs, has him buried behind Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, meaning he’ll need to grind to even sniff a starting gig.
Shedeur’s journey is about carving out his own identity. Playing for his dad at Jackson State and then Colorado, he was always “Deion’s son,” throwing for 7,254 yards and 70 touchdowns over two seasons in Boulder. Now, in the NFL, he’s got a chance to be just Shedeur—but it won’t be easy. The Browns, coming off a 2-15 season, are desperate for a spark, and while Watson’s the starter for now, a rough start could open the door for a rookie to make noise. Shedeur’s not banking on that, though. He’s focused on proving the doubters wrong, one practice at a time, and showing he’s more than a famous last name.
The draft slide stings, no question. Projected as a top-15 pick, Shedeur watched 146 names get called before his, a fall some attribute to concerns about his pocket presence or the “circus” around Deion’s larger-than-life persona. Shedeur’s not buying it. “If I had a different dad, I’m not sliding to the fifth,” he implied, and it’s hard to argue when you look at his college tape—pinpoint accuracy, cool under pressure, and a knack for big plays. X users are split: some see him as a diamond in the rough, others think his confidence borders on cocky. Either way, he’s got the talent to make teams regret passing on him.
For now, Shedeur’s keeping his head down, connecting with Cleveland’s youth and gearing up for a make-or-break rookie season. The Browns see him as a long-term investment, with GM Andrew Berry praising his “arm talent and poise” post-draft. Whether he can shake the “Coach Prime’s kid” label and climb the depth chart remains the big question. One thing’s for sure: Shedeur Sanders is ready to bet on himself, and he’s got the skills—and the chip—to make some noise in the NFL.
