USA Today reporter gives Colorado Buffaloes football coach Deion Sanders and Shedeur mixed bag assessment after NFL draft

After going undrafted through the first two days of the NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders was finally chosen in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns. The former Colorado football star, once projected as a top-five selection, slid down to the No. 144 pick in a shocking turn of events.

Potentially fueled by negative reports on Shedeur’s pre-draft interview and the expected involvement of his father, Deion, teams became reluctant to take on any potential baggage involving the Sanders family. 

Prime Time coached the Buffaloes over the last two seasons with Shedeur starting at quarterback. The reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year finished eighth in Heisman voting as a senior, throwing for 4,134 yards and 37 passing touchdowns en route to a 9-4 overall record (7-2 against the Big 12). Shedeur completed an incredible 74.0% of his passes last season while throwing for 318 yards per game.

USA Today reporter Chris Bumbaca assessed Cleveland’s biggest winners and losers of the Shedeur pick. Funnily enough, Bumbaca listed Deion and Shedeur as both winners and losers in the wake of the most surprising draft slide in recent history.

Bumbaca offered a positive perspective on Shedeur and his long-awaited achievement of reaching the NFL.

“The young man’s NFL dream has come true, regardless of the craziness over the past 48 hours,” Bumbaca wrote. “It’s an accomplishment for all 257 prospects who had their names called during the draft. And it’s worth celebrating even for Sanders, who displayed legitimate enthusiasm as he watched Day 3 of the draft with his family in Texas.”

Meanwhile, Bumbaca made his ‘loser’ case for Shedeur with a much simpler analysis.

“Self-explanatory. His name is forever attached to the slide he experienced this week,” Bumbaca wrote. “It’s up to him now to make it a regrettable one for the other 31 NFL teams.”

Bumbaca’s comments on Coach Prime lined up with his polarizing presence, offering positive and negative spins on Deion’s status in the aftermath of his son’s dramatic draft. His ‘winner’ take commended Deion for coaching and developing his son all the way to an NFL home.

“He’s no LaVar Ball, but the son he’s coached his entire life made it to the NFL,” Bumbaca wrote. “Living up to the legacy of a Hall of Fame father is not easy. Again, the last three days have obviously soured the occasion, but it’s hopefully still a proud moment for ‘Coach Prime.’”

Bumbaca’s ‘loser’ assessment gave a much harsher take on Deion, suggesting that the two-time Super Bowl champion and his son were served a slice of humble pie for their bold pre-draft comments. 

“‘Prime’ thought he could dictate a landing spot for his son and boasted that he’d be a top-five pick,” Bumbaca wrote. “Instead, all 32 teams disagreed. It’s a humbling moment for him and his Buffaloes program.”

Deion and Shedeur will look to silence the doubters as Coach Prime begins his third season with the Buffs and Shedeur embarks on his professional football journey.