Colorado quarterback prospect Shedeur Sanders has had his character examined more intensely than any other player in the 2025 NFL Draft class. Some analysts love his confidence, projecting the player to excel under the bright lights of the NFL. Some, though, believe his insulated upbringing has made him arrogant, leading to questions about the player’s ability to gel with an NFL locker room.
One unnamed NFL assistant coach launched a wild critique of Sanders, making it clear, in no uncertain terms, how little he thought of the prospect.
‘He’s So Entitled’ — NFL Assistant Coach Launches Attack on Shedeur Sanders
In a recent article for NFL.com, NFL insider Tom Pelissero gave an in-depth evaluation of the 2025 quarterback class, including quotes he’d heard from around the league. Second on that list, as is expected to be the order in the draft, was Sanders. Among the nearly 2,000-word deep dive on the Colorado prospect was a scathing review from an unnamed NFL assistant coach.
“The worst formal interview I’ve ever been in in my life. He’s so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates. … But the biggest thing is, he’s not that good,” said the anonymous coach, via Pelissero.
There was talk at the NFL Combine that a coach had been spreading the word of Sanders’ arrogance during his team interview. That coach was never named, and it’s possible that Pelissero was quoting the same staff member.
AFC Executive Backs Up Claims Made by Unnamed Coach
While there was some doubt cast over the allegations at the time, it appears that the unnamed coach wasn’t the only one left unimpressed by Sanders. According to Pelissero, a long-time AFC executive said he also had a negative experience when meeting the quarterback.
“It didn’t go great in our interview. He wants to dictate what he’s going to do and what’s best for him. He makes you feel small,” they said, via Pelissero.
There has long been talk, even before the pre-draft process, that Sanders would be looking to avoid certain teams in the draft. Sanders’ father, Deion, even went as far as to suggest that he wouldn’t allow his son to play for certain teams. During an appearance on “Tamron Hall” in early 2025, Deion was very clear about his intentions to steer his son away from certain teams.
“That’s my son. [If] you’ve got a child going into an occupation that you’ve already dominated in, come on, you think I’m not going to sit there like a navigational system? [I’ll] tell him, ‘Take a right there, take a left right there. Uh uh, not that [turn], no no.’ That’s my son! I’m not gonna let my son get down to no foolishness.”
Deion went on to be even clearer, suggesting that two particular unnamed teams were out of the question when it came to drafting his son.
“It’s not who I would like him to play for — it’s a couple teams I wouldn’t allow him to play for. This is my profession! I know what’s behind the curtain! We ain’t gotta get back there for me to understand what’s behind the curtain and what’s not [best] for my son. I’m not doing it. Ain’t no way in the world.”
It’s possible that both of the negative opinions formed of Shedeur Sanders came about organically, but it’s perhaps more likely, given what we know, that they were engineered. Either way, Sanders’ fate will rest in the hands of the 32 NFL teams on draft night.