Forget easy street. Shedeur Sanders‘ way to the NFL via the #1 pick highway is getting rough. Daily stock drops were one thing, but now NFL teams are questioning his character. “If you’re not trying to change the franchise or culture, don’t get me.” Statements like these? They can be seen as either confident or cocky—it all depends on who’s listening. And now, the buzz is that he’s been labeled “arrogant.”

But did the QB just sit back and take the hit? Absolutely not. Shedeur wasted no time firing back, making sure his side of the story was heard. Meanwhile, his interviews have become one of the hottest debates in NFL circles.

Shedeur Sanders claps back at criticism 

No doubt, Shedeur has always been a confident lad. Now come on, he is the DEION SANDERS’ son. He has to have that swagger, what say folks? That’s why he can’t see himself at any spot other than the top. Thus, when Field Yates‘ mock draft placed him at No. 6, the Buffs QB fired back, “That’s crap, bruh. I ain’t going sixth.” Cut to the present, Shedeur is now busy visiting his NFL suitors face-to-face. That’s when a QB coach from a team picking in the Top 7 of the draft got honest with Deion’s son.

On March 3, Football Forever posted about the QB stating, “A QB coach from a team picking in the Top 7 of the draft criticized Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders for being “arrogant” and “brash” in team interviews, per @josinaanderson.” But Shedeur is in no mood to let the brutal comment pass without his sharp retort. The comment section had supporters rooting for Shedeur and how his confidence has been mistaken for arrogance. Even then, the Buffs QB chose to take a stand for himself and comment, “How u know.”  Now Football Forever pinned the comment and responded: “@josinaanderson reported it. That coach apparently told her.”

And, according to Josina Anderson’s official X post, she also noted, “I’m just sharing that this coach’s personal assessment is the direct opposite from how Sanders came across to many reporters in his press conference with the media at the Combine. Sanders appeared to go out of his way to acknowledge multiple media members, regardless if they were recognizable or not. He seemed cordial, polite, witty, thoughtful along with being confident.”

Now, unlike college football, the pro league comes with a lot of responsibilities. The foremost is a responsible leader who is ready to fly high while at the same time keeping himself grounded. Can Shedeur meet that standard? While the 23-year-old has time to mature in the pros, the scrutiny surrounding him stems from an old-school mindset that struggles with NIL deals, player branding, and the rise of college athletes as business moguls before their NFL debut. 

As the caption of the IG post read, “’According to league sources, said QB coach seems to have issue with the culture of athletes who have broad fame and financial success before entering the NFL, and in their opinions, appears to them to have a problem certain athletes—I’ll leave it at that,’ Anderson said.” In that case, the Buffs QB is already blacklisted. In college football, Shedeur has ruled the NIL landscape with a valuation of $6.5 million. So, is it the reason behind his draft stocks falling off the track?  

Shedeur Sanders’ red flags haunt his draft stocks 

Just when Shedeur’s fans got upset with Yates’ No.6 projection for their favorite QB, something even worse awaited them….

CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli had him projected as the 22nd pick. What if you get to know that this too isn’t enough? Yes, folks. Here enters analyst Lance Zierlein with his “Mock Draft 2.0.” The NFL IG page posted on March 3, and it shows Shedeur falling to No.29 pick. On that list, PSU EDGE Abdul Carter is now the frontrunner for the No. 1 pick. The Buffs’ two-way star, Travis Hunter, holds the No. 2 spot, and the No. 3 pick goes to Miami Hurricanes’ QB Cam Ward. So, the behavioral questions surrounding Shedeur now demand serious consideration.

Back in February, NFL Rookie Watch posted, “Shedeur Sanders is reportedly being placed behind Cam Ward on several team’s boards now due to ‘off-the-field/attitude’ concerns.” And what are the off-field antics that are putting Shedeur off the NFL radar? His inclination towards rapping and his watch flexing move. The reason for concern here? The Buffs QB being too invested in things besides the sport. Not just this; do you know the player is charged with playing sly tactics in the interview?

CBS Sports analyst Jonathan Jones brought in a Shedeur Sanders vs. Cam Ward comp. He stated, “Cam Ward, I can say confidently from teams that I have spoken to, has been interviewing better than Shedeur Sanders.” Then came the bold revelation, “I talked with one team who agreed with that, but said ‘Look, Shedeur is not really… it does not appear that he’s giving it his all with teams that he doesn’t want to go to.’” Now Shedeur faces a choice—image makeover or doubling down on his ‘unbothered boss’ vibe?