Shedeur, who was a projected borderline first-round pick, slipped all the way to the fifth round before the Cleveland Browns drafted him at No. 144 overall. The elder Sanders specifically refuted the notion that Shedeur was "unprepared" for pre-draft interviews, and that he wore headphones during one meeting with a team.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders believes ulterior motives were at play with some of the predraft narratives that developed around sons Shedeur and Shilo.