Deion: Shedeur Asked Teams Not To Draft Him

Deion Sanders said on the New Heights podcast that the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens had interest in drafting his son Shedeur Sanders, but Shedeur asked teams not to draft him to avoid being stuck behind entrenched starters; he slipped to the fifth round and the Cleveland Browns traded up to select him at No. 144 after already taking Dillon Gabriel. In Cleveland, Shedeur is listed as the No. 3 quarterback behind veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel, a depth chart shaped by preseason evaluations and coaching decisions even as Flacco’s inconsistent play and a 1-2 start have sparked talks of a change. Deion predicted Shedeur will get a chance to start this season and said his son is “patient and ready,” while Shedeur emphasizes learning and preparation as he awaits an opportunity. The pick and resulting uncertainty have drawn outside criticism, including from Eric Dickerson, who suggested the Browns should cut Shedeur if they won’t play him. Separately, Deion publicly criticized Jacksonville coach Liam Coen for underusing former Colorado star Travis Hunter and proposed ways to deploy Hunter on both offense and defense, and Deion and Shedeur have exchanged public, sentimental jabs as Colorado moves forward with Kaidon Salter at quarterback.