Deion Sanders is hurting for his boys.
After son Shedeur fell to the fifth round, being selected 144th overall by the Browns in the 2025 NFL Draft, and his other son, Shilo, went undrafted, Sanders opened up to former Patriots and Eagles star defensive back Asante Samuel on the “Say What Needs to be Said” podcast on his frustration about anonymous attacks that may have impacted their reputations, particularly with Shedeur.
“You have no idea, man,” Deion said. “And stop lying. My kids are built for everything. We had two TV shows. … we’ve always been in front of the camera, so they know how to navigate. They know how to handle themselves. You’re not gonna catch them in no foolery or no mess. They’re not gonna do that whatsoever.”
“It hurt,” Sanders later added. “But the bible says God uses the foolish things to confound the wise. There was some foolish stuff that went on, but that gave them something that they needed. . . . That edge that Tom (Brady) had, it gave them the edge that you had, it gave them the edge that I have. Folks said we weren’t gonna be nothing. But we had to prove that. It gave them the edge that they needed. Both of them.”
Sheduer had previously said that his father was “99 percent” to blame for the online hate that surrounded him, although a firm story has to be released of why he fell all the way to the fifth round.
The only detailed story on Shedeur’s draft day fall surrounds the Giants.
Although the Giants worked out Shedeur before the draft in late April, they used their No. 3 overall pick on Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter before trading back into the first round to take Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart at No. 25.
Shortly after the draft, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that Shedeur missed mistakes that the Giants purposely put into an interview that was included during an offensive install.
When called out by the Giants and coach Brian Daboll, Shedeur was “pissed” and the Giants wound up pᴀssing on him altogether.
“When you sit up there and say something like he went into a meeting unprepared, like, dude, Shedeur Sanders? Who has had six different [offensive] coordinators, who has still functioned and leveled up every time we brought somebody new in, and you’re gonna tell me he was unprepared?” Deion said on the podcast. “You’re gonna tell me he had on headphones? Anybody who knows my son understands he’s a professional. He’s gonna go into a meeting with headphones on? Y’all, come on now.”
Shedeur joined a crowded quarterbacks room with the Browns that includes Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel. Starter Deshaun Watson is anticipated to miss the season while recovering from an Achilles injury.
Meanwhile, Shilo signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent.
Shilo wasn’t projected to be anything higher than a Day 3 pick.
