NFL fans are voicing strong reactions after reports surfaced suggesting that teams may have coordinated to avoid drafting quarterback Shedeur Sanders earlier this year. Despite being seen as a top prospect in several pre-draft projections, Sanders was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round as the 144th overall pick.
Questions arose when quarterback-needy teams such as the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants repeatedly passed on Sanders before he was eventually chosen by the Browns. Various theories spread among fans and analysts about why Sanders fell so far down the draft board. Some speculated poor interviews, while others raised concerns of collusion related to Sanders’ reported request for a “prime equity” clause—linking his compensation not only to performance but also brand and legacy factors.
The situation gained additional attention after Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee Eric Dickerson discussed it during an appearance on the “Roggin and Rodney” show on AM 570 LA Sports. According to Dickerson, “I tell you this much, what I heard from someone that’s in the NFL that the NFL told [teams] don’t draft him, do not draft him (…) We’re going to make an example out of him. And this came from a very good source, a very good source.” Dickerson continued by claiming league officials later instructed the Browns to select Sanders: “He said that – I won’t say who – somebody called the Cleveland Browns and said, ‘don’t do that, draft him,’ (…) Because they weren’t going to draft him either… They were forced into drafting him because somebody made a call to them.”
Dickerson further stated that his source said there was initially an intent for Sanders to go undrafted as an example: “That’s exactly what was going to happen (…) They were going to have him not get drafted to basically show you ‘this is what happens when you do this.’ I mean, look, the NFL’s got all kinds of power, they do all kinds of stuff. You know it and I know it too.”
These comments drew both support and skepticism online. Some fans expressed belief in Dickerson’s account and questioned whether legal action might follow: “Is this not enough for a lawsuit??” Others felt vindicated: “We all knew something would come out sooner or later,(…) There it is!! It will eventually come out!” Meanwhile, many dismissed Dickerson’s claims outright: “Dude, no one who knows anything about anything is talking to Eric Dickerson about it. People need to just accept that Shedeur isn’t as good as they want him to believe he is. If his last name wasn’t Sanders, you wouldn’t even know who he was,(…) At this point it’s all hearsay. So not quite good enough for a successful lawsuit.”
The debate remains unresolved regarding whether outside influence affected Sanders’ selection position or if his fall in the draft had other causes.
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