When it comes to Shedeur Sanders sliding out of the first round of the NFL Draft, Stephen A. Smith is pinning the blame on Deion Sanders.

Count ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith among those with strong feelings about Sanders’ slide from an elite first-round prospect into someone who, at best, will be a fourth-round selection. In a fierce rant on X Friday night, Smith called out the NFL over Sanders’ stunning draft experience.

Stephen A. Smith has an uncomfortable theory regarding Shedeur Sanders’ stunning NFL draft freefall. The star Colorado quarterback and son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders was not selected through the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft after once being a consideration for the No. 1 overall pick.