Mel Kiper can’t stop ranting about Shedeur Sanders’ ‘disgusting’ NFL free fall

Shedeur Sanders’ perplexing NFL draft slide isn’t sitting well with Mel Kiper Jr.

The long-time ESPN draft guru wasn’t shy about vocalizing his feelings regarding the polarizing Colorado quarterback not yet finding a home through three rounds.

Kiper ranted about Sanders’ freefall after he did not hear his name called Friday, calling it “disgusting” that he’s still undrafted nearly midway through the draft.

“I think it’s disgusting,” Kiper said.

“I don’t understand what the heck’s going on with this. Fifth player on my board, it’s never happened in 47 years where a player that high has dropped this far into the fourth round at quarterback.”

Kiper also highlighted that, in his opinion, Sanders is sitting there with while other quarterbacks who have been drafted “aren’t as good as Shedeur, who aren’t even close, in my opinion. In terms of accuracy, toughness, arm strength is certainly worthy, good enough.

“I don’t see, outside of [not having] the rocket arm and the 4.6 speed, the big frame, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound frame, what is he lacking? Somebody’s gonna have to explain that one to me.”

Mel Kiper Jr. cannot believe Shedeur Sanders is still undrafted after three rounds. ESPN

The longtime draft guru is such a believer in Sanders that he had him ranked his best quarterback entering the draft.

He placed Sanders as the No. 5 overall player on his big board — one spot ahead of fellow quarterback Cam Ward, who went No. 1 overall.

After Sanders did not land with a team on Day 1, Kiper listed Sanders as his No. 1 player available and said it makes “no sense” that he’s still on the board.

“We could go to 102 picks and end (Friday) without Shedeur Sanders being picked. That’s nonsensical,” Kiper said. “This kid should’ve been a first-round draft choice.”

Shedeur Sanders answers questions from the media during the NFL Scouting Combine on February 28, 2025. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Kiper had arguably his biggest rant of the night after the Seattle Seahawks used their third-round draft choice at pick No. 92 to select Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.

Most, if not all, expected Sanders to be drafted before Milroe.

“We’ve said that pocket passers, old-school traditional pocket passers, have to prove themselves to the NFL,” he said. “The NFL doesn’t go crazy over those kinda guys. They really haven’t jumped at the opportunity to take those quarterbacks. Peyton Manning, people were debating Ryan Leaf. Bill Polian took him. I had calls from people saying, ‘He should be a third-round pick.’ This was Peyton Manning. So, Shedeur Sanders, I got the same thing. I fought it. But I had to fight it a lot, with the calls saying, ‘Yeah, he’s not that. He’s not 6-3, 230. Doesn’t have the rocket arm. Doesn’t run 4.6. Can’t change that.

“But to have a quarterback with the kind of ability he showed under duress, accurate, decision maker, tough. This to me is about what I think they perceive as … cocky or confident? Arrogant or charismatic? Leadership. There’s not gonna be a show. There’s not gonna be a circus with Shedeur Sanders. Deion Sanders was one of the hardest-working players in the history of this game. He brought with him a great work ethic. He’s loved in every locker room. Atlanta Braves clubhouse, by the way. Shedeur Sanders will do the same thing. He will galvanize.”

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Kiper continued: “And whatever perception’s out there, I don’t know what people are thinking is gonna happen when Shedeur Sanders is part of your football team. Except he’s gonna work, his players are gonna rally around him, he’s gonna be a hell of a quarterback in this league.”

Sanders enters Day 3 of the Draft still on the board after three rounds and 102 picks — including five quarterbacks — despite many consensus mock drafts and big boards praising him as a top-two or top-three signal caller in his class.