Shedeur Sanders might just be the most polarizing prospect walking into the 2025 NFL Draft spotlight. Once tabbed as a potential No. 1 overall pick, the Colorado QB1 now finds himself in a strange purgatory between top-10 promise and media-manufactured doubt. On the surface, he checks nearly every box. Pedigree, production, poise—but when draft boards get political and narratives get skewed, even a player like Shedeur can get swallowed by the noise.

And the noise has been loud. NFL front offices have whispered doubts. Former scouts have pushed unflattering comparisons. Fans have questioned everything from his durability to his decision-making. Some criticism? Fair. Sanders took a number of unnecessary hits during his college career and isn’t exactly a Lamar Jackson-style athlete. But the pile-on has felt calculated—almost personal. As USA TODAY’s Josh Peter put it, “In some ways the overall criticism has been fair, but in other ways it’s traversed into the extreme.” That extremity seems to echo more about the people criticizing than the prospect they’re dissecting.

To no one’s surprise, Coach Prime—a.k.a. Deion Sanders—has stepped in like any protective father would. A few hours before the draft curtain rises, he did what only Prime can do. Turned the heat up with a calculated, clever, and absolutely electric social media play. He posted a wild highlight edit of Shedeur Sanders, drenched in hype—gym work, flashy lifestyle moments, sideline sauce, the whole nine yards. Captioned simply, “Repeat.” The message was loud: this ain’t their first rodeo. Prime knows the game, and he’s flipping the script before draft night.

More than just a proud dad’s post, it was a tactical PR move. Deion Sanders is bringing energy, context, and confidence to his son’s pre-draft story. And he didn’t hold back in the accompanying USA TODAY Sports interview either. “It’s silly to us,” Deion said. “Most of it is laughable. What I told him, too, is, ‘Son, what I’ve learned in my life is when it doesn’t make sense, it’s God. Because some of this stuff is so stupid, it don’t make sense.’” Classic Prime.

But there’s a darker undercurrent too. Some of the critiques have felt venomous. One media personality, Kelly—who once infamously called Tim Tebow a Hall of Famer and Spencer Rattler the next Patrick Mahomes – has now zeroed in on Sanders, calling him a “bust” before the kid’s even taken an NFL snap. No film study. No locker room insight. Just a name and a target. Deion wasn’t having any of it. “This is venomous,” he said. “It’s to the point where it ain’t even cute no more. It’s so predictable. I’m flipping the channel today, listening. ‘Jaxson Dart is special; Shedeur Sanders ain’t…’ Y’all c’mon. Stop.”

So here we are, hours before Shedeur’s name gets called. The world might doubt him. But his father? His community? His fans? They’re riding with him—loud and loyal. And nowhere was that more evident than in the comments section of that fire Instagram post.

“Wherever he goes to that’s my new team”: Some still ride with Shedeur Sanders

There’s something powerful about watching a fanbase rally behind a player, not because of the hype machine, but because of faith. In the comments of Deion’s post, fans didn’t just cheer; they pledged allegiance. One fired-up user wrote, “Wherever he goes to that’s my new team.” That’s not casual support—that’s ride-or-die territory. The kind of loyalty that shows Shedeur’s reach already stretches well beyond Boulder.

Another comment that caught traction? “THE WHOLE CITY OF DALLAS IS RIDDING FIR THE BABY BOY!!! Nice work prime.” Now, aside from the typo (we know what you meant, fam), this shows just how deep the Sanders roots run in Texas. Shedeur may play anywhere on Sundays, but his energy is Texas-bred, and Dallas is making it clear they’re claiming him like hometown royalty.

“This young man could win a ring within his first 5 yrs with the right situation.” That’s a bold call in the chaos of NFL rebuilds and rookie quarterback struggles. But when you peel back the narratives and just watch the tape? You see the poise. The arm talent. The leadership.

Then came a comment that perfectly blended spiritual strength and maternal pride: “So proud of Shedeur keep moving You’re in GOD hands.🙌🏾 🙏🏾🧎🏾‍♀🔥🔥.” It hits different. Especially in the context of the Sanders family ethos. This journey has never just been about football.

It’s been about walking in faith, blocking out noise. Someone summed up the movement with: “You gone change the game #2!!! Wherever you go I’M THERE!! Time to go UP 🚀🔥🔥 #Legendary”. If there’s one thing Coach Prime has always taught, it’s how to command attention without ever asking for it. Shedeur Sanders learned that. Now he’s about to take it with him to the league.