,

NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter Breaks Down Exactly Who’s to Blame For Shedeur Sanders’ Draft Slide, But You Can Probably Guess

In a "Fully Loaded" podcast interview, former wide receiver Cris Carter evaluated Sanders' on- and off- field behavior.

Football fanatics canโ€™t stop discussing the 2025 NFL Draft that lit up the internet. What shouldโ€™ve been a commemorative moment for Shedeur Sanders, son of iconic football legend Deion Sanders and rising star, quickly turned controversial.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Stefon Diggs and Cardi B Viral Boat Video Prompts Response from Patriots Coach
Stefon Diggs and Cardi B Viral Boat Video Prompts Response from Patriots Coach

Sandersโ€™ slide to fifth-round draft pick, landing a spot with the Cleveland Browns, has been the talk of sports publications, blogs and podcasts wondering how and why it happened. NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter shared his thoughts on how Sanders self-sabotaged and fumbled a potential $50 million payday.

So, who is to blame? According to Carter, Sanders has no one to blame but himself.

Appearing on the โ€œFully Loadedโ€ podcast, former wide receiver Carter laid it on thick like cold grits as he attributed Sandersโ€™s fifth-round fall to his missteps, missed signals, and a public persona that left NFL teams turned off.

โ€œShedeur and his family overplayed their hand,โ€ Carter noted. โ€œThem thinking that he was in the same evaluation mode as Eli Manning, they didnโ€™t play that right. Them trying to narrow the teams that he was going to go to, that didnโ€™t do right.โ€

Sanders also didnโ€™t work out at the combine, which led him to not leave a lasting impression on the scouts at his pro day. โ€œNot working out at the combine, that wasnโ€™t the right thing,โ€ heย said.

During the pre-draft process, Carter explained how Sanders didnโ€™t present himself well in his interview. โ€œHis interview process - obviously, he could have done a lot better in that.โ€ he shared. โ€œA lot of people left that meeting felt he was very entitled,โ€ he said. โ€œSo, for his job interview, he was so concerned about what his outfit was, his necklace was over a hundred grand. Like, he hadnโ€™t even convinced people that youโ€™re the face of our franchise.โ€

Due to being a fifth-round draft pick, Carter explained that Sanders missed out on a potential payout through signing bonuses. โ€œHe didnโ€™t get drafted right. Itโ€™s no speculation,โ€ Carter expressed in frustration. โ€œLike, weโ€™re through the draft, We are through three days. He threw away at least 30 to 50 million dollars.โ€

The former wide receiver explained that Sandersโ€™ unfavorable disposition and interactions with other players convinced people that they would be better off going in a different direction and working with less talented people.

โ€œLet me tell you what he understands today, okay? He ainโ€™t running shit. Okay, yeah. Let me tell you what. They taught him a great lesson. Like, you donโ€™t have this figured out. Your Dad doesnโ€™t have this figured out.โ€

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.