Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft Slide: Eddie George Says the Fall Was No Shock

Shedeur Sanders’ dramatic slide in last week’s NFL Draft may have sent jaws dropping across the sports world, but for former NFL star Eddie George, it was all pretty predictable.

Sanders, once projected as a no-doubt first-round pick, watched his draft stock tumble all the way to the fifth round. George, during a recent interview, didn’t mince words: “I didn’t think it was a shock. The NFL draft board spoke: no first-round grade for this kid, and that’s OK.”

For those keeping score, the Cleveland Browns nabbed Sanders with their fifth-round, 144th overall pick, even after already picking Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel in the third. Apparently, there’s no such thing as too many quarterbacks in Cleveland—maybe they’re collecting them like rare Pokémon cards.

George is betting this slip-up will be Sanders’ “finest hour.” He said, “He’s got his foot in the door, now he can show everyone what they missed out on. It’s not how you start in the NFL, it’s how you finish.” Standard pep talk? Maybe. But coming from a guy who’s rushed for over 10,000 yards, it stings a little less.

Right now, the Browns’ QB room is a full house. Deshaun Watson is still dealing with a twice-troubled Achilles, Kenny Pickett came over in a trade, Joe Flacco is on a one-year deal, and now Gabriel and Sanders have joined the circus. With five quarterbacks and no declared starter, Cleveland’s coaching staff might need a flowchart just to remember who’s throwing the ball at practice.

George coached against Sanders last season and vouched for his talent. “He can spin it. High football IQ. He gets where the ball needs to go. He’s just got to build on that.” He also brushed off the ‘arrogant’ label some have given Sanders, saying he’s cut from the right cloth.

Eddie George, for his part, had a storied nine-year NFL career and just landed a new coaching gig at Bowling Green after a successful run at Tennessee State. So, he knows a thing or two about bouncing back and proving yourself.