NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter isn’t holding back when it comes to Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ shocking drop to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Carter, who was inducted in the NFL Hall of Fame in 2013, played for the Philadelphia Eagles, the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wide receivers of all time.
In an episode of the “Fully Loaded” podcast, Carter blamed both Shedeur and his father, University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, for mishandling the quarterback’s draft preparation and sinking his stock. Carter estimates the missteps cost Shedeur between $30 million and $50 million, The New York Post reported.
“You’re going for a job interview,” Carter said, referring to the NFL Draft process. “He was more concerned about what his outfit was and wearing a $100,000 necklace than convincing teams he could be the face of their franchise.”
Shedeur, who was once projected as a top-three pick, fell to No. 144 overall. He was finally selected by the Cleveland Browns. He played college football for the Jackson State Tigers and Colorado Buffaloes, winning the 2021 Jerry Rice Award, 2022 Deacon Jones Trophy and 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. At Jackson State Sanders went 23-3 over the course of two years, leading the Tigers to their first two Celebration Bowl berths in program history, while going undefeated against FCS competition in the regular season, according to the NCAA. At Colorado, Sanders helped revive the Buffaloes from a one-win season before he got there to a 13-12 record across his final two seasons. In his final year, Sanders helped lead Colorado to a nine-win season and a bowl game, Sporting News reported.
Carter called out several red flags that likely scared off teams: Shedeur’s decision to skip workouts at the NFL Combine, an underwhelming Pro Day, and a reputation for being “entitled” during interviews. “A lot of people left that meeting and felt he was very, very entitled,” Carter noted.
But Carter didn’t just point fingers at Shedeur. He believes Deion Sanders’ efforts to control the draft narrative, including suggesting Shedeur wouldn’t play for certain teams, contributed to the quarterback’s dramatic slide. “They overplayed their hand,” Carter said.
The Sanders family has long focused on building a brand—Shedeur’s own apparel line is called “Legendary.” But Carter questioned the priorities behind the image-making. “He ain’t running s–t,” Carter said bluntly. “They taught him a great lesson. You don’t have this figured out. Your dad don’t have this figured out.”
