The ongoing debate regarding Shedeur Sanders’ draft position has continued months after his unexpected fall to the fifth round. Discussions range from criticisms of Sanders’ interviews to speculation about league interference, with suggestions that the National Football League may have wanted to make an example out of him.
This conversation escalated following statements from Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee Eric Dickerson on the Roggin and Rodney show on AM 570 LA Sports. Dickerson said, “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.” He further alleged that officials eventually called the Cleveland Browns after Sanders dropped lower than expected: “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 that call to them.”
Former players Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson discussed Dickerson’s comments publicly. Johnson compared teams’ decision-making by reviewing quarterbacks selected before Sanders: “Man, Mel Kiper [ESPN Draft analyst] was losing his mind (…) He was a top-three pick in the first round. We all knew that. If you watch the game of football, if you look at the quarterbacks that went before Shedeur, I mean, hello. The only one who’s looked decent this preseason plays in New York. Outside of that, the Saints still don’t have a quarterback. The Steelers still don’t have a quarterback. I mean, come on, man,” Johnson said.
Sharpe responded by reading back Dickerson’s statement and emphasizing broader league dynamics: “The NFL is a business (…) Can you do whatever your position is? If you’re a quarterback, can you throw? If you’re a DB, can you break on the ball? I don’t care about all that other stuff,” he added.
Both former athletes referenced previous controversies involving player selection decisions within professional football leagues while reflecting on how organizational interests could affect prospects’ careers.
The issue remains significant for teams such as the Saints and Steelers who passed over Sanders despite ongoing needs at quarterback—a situation raising questions among fans and analysts familiar with player evaluation processes.
