Deion Sanders won’t be playing matchmaker at the NFL draft.
The Colorado coach, who is sending two sons and another star to the pros in 2025, is singing a different tune this year.
During an appearance on ‘The Skip Bayless Show,’ Sanders spoke at length about the draft process and his thoughts on Shedeur Sanders, including whether he’s going to have influence over the quarterback’s potential destination.
‘Shedeur has told me, he’s talked to me intently about all the visits he’s had with all the teams, so I know where his heart is, I know where he wants to go,’ Sanders said. ‘If it’s New York, it’s New York, if it’s Tennessee, if it’s Cleveland, if it’s still the Raiders, if it’s New Orleans, if it’s any of those teams that are seeking a quarterback, I’m happy with it, man. Because I know what he’s going to do to the organization.’
Sanders said the later some players go in the draft, the better the team will be. He added that it’s still a blessing rather than a curse. The Colorado coach called his kids ‘born winners’ and that he isn’t worried about them on the field.
When asked by Bayless, Sanders said he wouldn’t orchestrate where Shedeur is eventually drafted.
‘No, no, no,’ he said. ‘Because that’s not God’s will right now. I want Shedeur to do what he’s consistently done – excel against all odds. I like the hating, I like the naysaying, I like the ignorance because it makes us feel better about what we do and it gives him another chip on his shoulder.’
It’s a noticeable shift from Sanders’ comments in 2024, when he essentially insisted the opposite.
‘I know where I want them to go,’ Sanders said during an appearance on the ‘Million Dollaz Worth of Game’ podcast in March 2024. ‘So, it’s certain cities that ain’t going to happen. It’s going to be an Eli.’
He even added that cold weather cities could’ve been on the chopping block.
‘Like, I don’t want my kid (Shedeur) going nowhere cold next year,’ Sanders said via Pro Football Talk. ‘He grew up in Texas. He played in Jackson (Mississippi), played in Colorado. Season’s over before it gets cold in Colorado. I’m just thinking way ahead. I don’t want that for him.’
Shedeur Sanders is expected to come off the board early on draft night, with a destination that remains a mystery. He projects inside the top-10, with a ceiling at high as No. 2 overall but could slide if the board doesn’t break right.
Whenever the quarterback hears his name called, Deion Sanders seems to be happy with whatever the end result is. Time will tell if that remains the case.