Dick Vitale defends Shedeur Sanders, makes bold prediction after 2025 NFL Draft slide

Shedeur Sanders went through an unprecedented slide during the 2025 NFL Draft. With the world watching, the former Colorado quarterback dropped from a consensus first round selection to a fifth round pick of the Cleveland Browns over the past couple of days.

From Mel Kiper Jr. to Stephen A. Smith, multiple pundits have come out in support of Sanders, along with plenty of detractors. ESPN legend Dick Vitale is in his corner though: “Something tells me that SHEDEUR SANDERS is going to prove all the critics that they were wrong!” Vitale posted on X, regarding the freshly-minted NFL quarterback.

All told, it’ll be up to Sanders to prove the juice is worth the squeeze. While Cleveland was the team that took a chance on him, he’s joining a crowded quarterback room, with Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and fellow draftee Dillon Gabriel part of the Browns, as well.

Still, Vitale colleague in Kiper Jr. has been pounding the table for Sanders. He tried to make sense of the slide, pointing out the lack of offensive line protection Sanders had at Colorado, and noting the biggest “misperception” from the pre-draft process for the quarterback. Kiper Jr. thinks he’ll be similar to his father, Deion, as a teammate, fitting right into the Browns locker room as a pro.

“You think about the character. I think this is the misperception. I think the fact of the matter is Deion was a great teammate,” Kiper said, via ESPN’s broadcast. “Deion practiced hard. They loved him in the NFL. They loved him with the Atlanta Braves in Major League Baseball. Shedeur, he will galvanize. He’ll be that kind of guy. Again, the offensive line, if you’re on the Cleveland Browns, that’s the issue, guys. If they can’t protect him – obviously, get the weapons – but up front is where they’ve got to be strong. Allow him to do his job and he will be a surgeon. He will pick you apart.

“You give Shedeur time, he sees the field. He’s accurate to all levels, and he is a tremendous competitor. Incredibly tough. Durable. All the hits he took, and he never got hurt. He didn’t have a running game. I mentioned the offensive line, he had no running game. So he was out there, and he led them to a winning year. He led them to an upset over TCU when he first got there – first game. Then, the wheels came off. … Shedeur Sanders, to me, when you talk about the locker room and the players around him, they love him.”

The talent isn’t in question, but there’s something that turned the NFL away from Shedeur Sanders over the past couple of days. What comes next is in the young quarterback’s hands, and Dick Vitale thinks better days are ahead for the 23-year old.

— On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this article.