Deion Sanders Accuses NFL Teams of Manipulating Draft Stock to Defend His Stance on Son Shedeur & Travis Hunter

Since Coach Primе unveiled his strategy for his sons Shеdеur and Shilo to emulate Eli Manning’s 2004 draft manager in 2025, the industry has been abuzz with speculation and communication. Sandеrs made his intentions clear and stated, “Thеrе’s cеrtain citiеs that ain’t gonna happеn… It’s gonna bе an Eli,” citing wеathеr prеfеrеncеs and suitability for his sons.

As a father and coach, Sandеrs is determined to secure the best opportunities for his sons, even if it means potentially manipulating the 2025 draft. However, while some harshly criticized Coach Primе’s draft plans, a shocking revelation by Dеion Sandеrs in Front Officе Sports promises to shake up the entire NFL draft frеnzy.

Coach Deion Sanders stirred controversy by suggesting that NFL teams deliberately leak negative stories about players to manipulate their draft stock. “I worked the draft for about 10 to 12 years straight. I know that to be true,” Sanders stated candidly.

“You have guys that are slated to go at this number pick. Randomly something comes out that they flunked the drug tests or they have this type of imagery or they were seen with this, and wildly their draft grade plummets later in the rounds or even the next round. How does that happen? How does that mysteriously come out right before the draft?” he questioned.

He further emphasized the severity of these actions and stated, “It’s perhaps even more harsh because now you’re affecting someone’s livelihood and you’re putting up a tremendous rumor on somebody that may not even be true. So that’s done every year.” Sanders raised suspicions about the origins of such leaks and asked, “Who’s putting out those leaks? I guess who’s got the motive to drop a player’s draft stock? Well, and when your player drops, that means you want that player at another end of the rebate. You want them on sale.” His remarks shed light on a potentially contentious aspect of the pre-draft process and raise questions about the integrity and fairness of player evaluations.

Sanders’ assertion underscores the complex dynamics at play behind the scenes of the NFL draft but also can be treated as a stance of defense against the recent backlash he received after expressing his plan to pull an “Eli” for his sons Shedeur, Shilo, and WR/CB Travis Hunter.

Dеion Sandеrs’ stratеgic draft philosophy

During a podcast, Prime elaborated on his rationale for selecting the landing spots for the star players of his 2024 class. Reflecting on his draft history, Deion Sanders shared insights stating, “We have players from a multitude of years ago who chose not to go to the team that they were drafted by. A couple of quarterbacks did. I even told several teams that were drafting me before I landed in the Falcons that, ‘I am not playing. I am gonna play baseball if you draft me.’ So, let’s not think that this hasn’t been done. The things I am talking about have been done.”

Read More: Coach Prime Himself “Pulled an Eli” During NFL Career- Deion Sanders’ “Threatening” Past Highlighted to Justify Ban on Shedeur

With 14 years of playing experience in the league and an additional 20 years on television with the NFL Network and CBS, Sanders asserted his understanding of NFL teams’ competitiveness. He questioned the wisdom of sending players or children to organizations not dedicated to winning, stating, “Why would you want your players or your children to go to places that are not set on winning?” This further justified his strategy for the 2025 NFL draft.

Sanders’ remarks highlight the nuanced considerations involved in NFL draft decisions and provide context for his approach with Shedeur & Co.

Read More: “It’s Always About the Camera”: Coach Prime Catches Deion Sanders Jr. Off Guard After Taking Cheeky Jab at His Lack of Strength