It’s rare to see a talent like Shedeur Sanders getting overlooked as badly as he is right now. Heading into the draft, it felt like he was standing right on the doorstep of stardom. Sure, people criticized his attitude a bit, but no one really expected this sharp turn. As names were called and rounds passed, Shedeur stayed unpicked. Can you imagine being a top-tier talent and still having such trouble making it to the big league? It’s wild, right? After putting up historic numbers and showing real leadership, how did the narrative flip so quickly?

Even his father, Deion Sanders, known as “Prime Time,” was certain his son would go early. “We’ve already won… Shedeur’s getting drafted… He’s going in the first round,” he confidently said. For Deion, this was more than pride; it was about legacy and family. He reminded everyone, “When that last name is on your back, you’re going to be attacked.” Sadly, no matter how loudly he believed, the draft didn’t go the way he had hoped- until it did!

The first round passed, then the second, third, and fourth rounds passed as well. Just when things started to feel grim for the young talent, it all turned around. Cleveland Brown took to X to share the news, “From Colorado to Cleveland! Shedeur Sanders joining the QB room”. Interestingly, just hours before the announcement, Gabrielle Union was sharing her support for Sanders while clearly being frustrated over the draft slide by the teams!

She took to Instagram to share a screenshot of a tweet on her story, which read, “The NFL is forcing me to root for whatever team that drafts Shedeur because all of this is some bullshit.” However, she didn’t stop there, she also wrote, “@shedeursanders I’m buying whatever jersey you rocking! We ALL know what’s going down and we 10 toes down.” Here’s where things get interesting. This message of support from her came at an interesting time, as the 49ers just passed on Shedeur, picking Upton Stout instead, which made Gabrielle’s words even more surprising.

Gabrielle’s support for the 49ers was never a secret, especially during her Super Bowl excitement days. Just last year, she proudly shared, “I’m here for Usher but I hope the 49ers win,” showing her loyalty. Does this mean she’s going to shift her love from the 49ers to the Browns? It would be a surprising situation as Union has shared her love for the team multiple times. But the dissatisfaction she felt may just point towards something bigger; if a talented athlete such as Sanders can face such problems getting drafted, then the level of competition is self-explanatory.

Jeff Teague finds a silver lining amid the draft chaos

It’s not every day a quarterback like Shedeur Sanders stirs up this much chaos before even hitting the field. His draft fall wasn’t just about talent: it peeled back bigger worries teams had. Some scouts admired his touch and leadership. Yet others whispered about missed practices and a brand-first mentality. Now, everyone is wondering: was it really about skills or something deeper?

As surprising as this draft slide felt to many, others weren’t shocked at all. Former NBA star Jeff Teague broke it down simply. On the Club 520 Podcast, Teague explained that today’s NFL demands quarterbacks who can move. “They need dual threats,” he said, pointing at stars like Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes. Sanders, in his view, lacked that athletic edge teams wanted.

Even with Teague and others agreeing that Sanders had first-round talent, mobility mattered more. DJ Wells chimed in, saying movement defines success now. Despite the critiques, they praised Sanders’ achievements at Colorado. Yet for teams balancing risk and reward, Sanders’ style felt a step behind the league’s evolution.

Interestingly, Teague saw a silver lining in Sanders’ draft slide. He shared how dropping out of the first round helped him when he entered the NFL. “Now he come out here and perform well and becomes a star quarterback. He got a story to tell,” Teague said. And now, Cleveland gives Sanders that chance. A city built on resilience and second chances just might be the perfect place for a quarterback who already has a story the league will never forget.