Shedeur Sanders walked into the NFL Combine knowing the scrutiny would be relentless. Even then, he probably didn’t expect this! His draft stock has become the ultimate football Rorschach test—some see a prospect with elite traits, others see an “arrogant” “nepo kid” riding his father’s name. Even Deion Sanders, always his son’s biggest advocate, couldn’t resist poking fun, telling reporters “Jimmy #1” as Jimmy Horn Jr. is his favorite kid. “His list changes every week,” Shedeur laughed, used to his dad’s shenanigans. But beneath the jokes, a real debate is brewing: is the league evaluating Shedeur fairly, or is there something deeper at play?

So, Coach Prime was not on his side for just this once, but now some believe the whole league is “biased against him.” NFL analyst Warren Sharp isn’t buying the narrative surrounding Shedeur Sanders. On The Sharp Football Show, he questioned why Miami’s Cam Ward was suddenly emerging as the consensus QB1 when both he and Sanders have their flaws. “The fact that Cam Ward is seemingly emerging as a consensus unanimous QB1 is really suspicious because both of the guys are too flawed to just have one of them unanimously the No.1  quarterback,” Sharp said, before pointing out the elephant in the room.

“I really wonder if there’s some anti-Deion Sanders, anti-Colorado [bias]… obviously, there is a huge amount of anti-Sanders, anti-Colorado bias in the world at large. Why would we not assume that it’s also happening within the NFL?” Sharp’s take strikes a nerve because it’s impossible to separate Shedeur from the larger phenomenon of Coach Prime. “Well, biases exist,” he said and pointed back at how Bryce Young, last year, was seen as QB1 over CJ Stroud, who was “physically better” and “accurate.” Because he was an Ohio State quarterback?

Here, however, both are phenomenal and somewhat similar. So, why only Ward as No. 1 raises concerns?

Moreover, there might be some who are jealous of his name. That’s why Deion Sanders speaks his mind, controls his own narrative, and refuses to kiss the ring of old-school football establishments. That rubs some people the wrong way. Now, his son—a hyper-confident quarterback with NFL-level accuracy and a high football IQ—is being painted as “brash” and “arrogant” during pre-draft interviews. It’s not hard to connect the dots. If the league is willing to embrace a non-traditional QB like Ward, why is Shedeur the one being picked apart for personality?

That’s exactly what Deion wanted people to think when he responded to a viral report about Shedeur’s alleged arrogance. He didn’t fire off a rant, didn’t demand respect—he let someone else do the talking. Coach Prime simply reposted a clip of NFL analyst Mark Schlereth, who tore apart the idea that Shedeur’s confidence was a red flag.

“Show me a quarterback who’s not arrogant,” Schlereth said on FS1. “You ever sit with a guy who’s going to be a star quarterback? Most of them are arrogant. Most of them have a lot of belief in what they do.” He went further, breaking down the real reason Shedeur should be in the QB1 conversation. “He’s incredibly accurate. He really understands not only offensive football, but he understands what you’re doing as a defense. So he’ll pick you apart that way. He processes quickly. Like, all those things to me are big-time attributes.”

That’s the part of Shedeur’s game that’s getting lost in the noise. Forget the personality debates—he can flat-out play. He completed nearly 74% of his passes last season despite being the most sacked passer, operating behind an offensive line that could barely hold up for two seconds. His poise under constant pressure was remarkable, and his ability to read defenses is already NFL-level. If his last name weren’t Sanders, would the teams still be questioning his attitude? Or would they be raving about his film?

The bias conversation isn’t going away anytime soon.

Shedeur Sanders: The most pro-ready QB in a decade?

Sanders knows what comes with the name. But here’s the thing—one NFL executive doesn’t seem to be buying into the doubt. Instead, they’re doubling down on the belief that Sanders is as pro-ready as they come.

“Shedeur is one of the most pro-ready QBs in the past decade,” one NFL front office executive told Athlon Sports after the Combine. “His dad has done an outstanding job getting him ready for this level, and it shows. Tom Brady is his mentor… What could be better for a prospect? Anyone who is ‘cooling’ on him needs to hand in their resignation immediately. They don’t belong in the league.”

That’s high praise from an NFL decision-maker, and it’s hard to argue. Sanders has been groomed for this moment—his development under Deion Sanders, his elite mechanics, and his mentorship from the GOAT himself, Tom Brady, could make him a unique prospect. The pressure? It’s sky high.