Shedeur Sanders Historic Nfl Draft Free Fall Not A 'shock,' Former Nfl Star Says

Shedeur Sanders' historical free autumn successful nan NFL Draft past week came arsenic a daze to many, but not to erstwhile NFL prima Eddie George. 

Sanders was thought by astir NFL Draft experts to beryllium picked successful nan first round, which is why truthful galore NFL fans and analysts alike were amazed that he fell to nan 5th round. 

"I didn’t deliberation it was a spot of a shock. I thought that nan NFL spoke, nan draught said and said, ‘Hey, we don’t person a first-round people connected this kid’ and that’s OK," George said during a caller quality connected OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me pinch Dan Dakich."

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Colorado Buffalos backmost Shedeur Sanders looks connected anterior to nan crippled against nan Arizona Wildcats astatine Arizona Stadium successful Tucson, Arizona, connected Oct. 19, 2024. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

"I cognize a batch of group thought that he was nan first 3 picks and truthful forth. He’s a phenomenal talent, but erstwhile you do your owed diligence, and you vet these kids out, and you person nan combine, you person nan individual interviews, immoderate things travel retired that are consistent. And was accordant was that they felt that he wasn’t a starting backmost correct now."

The Cleveland Browns, contempt taking Oregon backmost Dillon Gabriel pinch their third-round pick, selected Sanders pinch their fifth-round pick, nan 144th wide prime successful nan NFL Draft. 

George said that Sanders’ draught descent will move into his "finest hour."

"I deliberation this will beryllium Shedeur’s finest hour. He has an opportunity now to spell and compete for nan occupation and show group that, hey, you missed retired connected a large opportunity. You know, I show kids each nan clip it’s not really you commencement successful nan NFL, it’s really you finish. So he sewage his ft successful nan door, he sewage drafted, he’s sewage an opportunity to compete. Now it’s up to him to show and beryllium group incorrect really they missed retired connected him," George said.

EX-NFL STAR FIRES OFF SHEDEUR SANDERS WARNINGS BEFORE CAREER BEGINS

A schematic announcing Colorado backmost Shedeur Sanders’ action by nan Cleveland Browns pinch nan 144th wide prime is seen successful nan Draft Theater during nan 3rd time of nan 2025 NFL Draft astatine Lambeau Field connected April 25, 2025. (Tork Mason/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

The Browns presently person 5 quarterbacks connected their roster but person nary clear starting quarterback. Deshaun Watson re-ruptured his Achilles tendon successful January aft he underwent room connected that aforesaid tendon successful October 2024, and his position for nan upcoming play is successful doubt. 

The Browns acquired Kenny Pickett successful a waste and acquisition pinch nan Philadelphia Eagles and signed Joe Flacco to a one-year statement anterior to nan NFL Draft. With nan additions of Gabriel and Sanders to an already packed backmost room, it remains to beryllium seen who will get nan Week 1 nod. 

George coached against Sanders past play pinch Tennessee State and said nan erstwhile Colorado prima tin "spin it."

"I cognize nan type of man he is, I cognize nan cloth he is trim from. I cognize a batch of group fig that he is arrogant and not serious, but I had nan opportunity to coach against that kid and he tin rotation it. He tin put nan shot places that wherever he knows to spell pinch nan football. He has a very precocious shot IQ, and he has to build connected that astatine nan adjacent level."

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Former NFL subordinate Eddie George signs a shot for nan fans during nan 2nd half of nan crippled betwixt nan East and nan West astatine AT&T Stadium connected Jan. 30, 2025. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

George had a nine-year NFL profession arsenic a moving back. He spent 8 seasons pinch nan Tennessee Titans and 1 pinch nan Dallas Cowboys. George won violative rookie of nan twelvemonth and was named to nan Pro-Bowl squad 4 times, while he was a first-team All-Pro once. 

He rushed for 10,441 yards and 68 touchdowns successful his career. 

George was hired by Bowling Green successful March aft he spent nan past 4 seasons arsenic nan caput coach astatine Tennessee State. He was named nan Big South-Ohio Valley Conference coach of nan twelvemonth successful 2024. 

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