In the 2025 NFL Draft, Deion Sanders Jr. shared a critical post regarding the Giants after Shedeur Sanders was not selected in the first round.
The most significant narrative emerging from the 2025 NFL Draft following the first round revolves around a player who was not selected. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders remains available, and he is widely anticipated to be chosen early on Friday evening. However, this was not the outcome Sanders had anticipated. He entered the event as a projected first-round selection on numerous major draft boards. Even though some analysts placed him lower, it would not have been surprising to see a team elevate Sanders' position in the draft given his role.
This did not occur on Thursday. After 32 selections, Sanders is still unpicked. While he managed to handle his unexpected drop with composure, another member of the Sanders family exhibited greater frustration as the evening progressed. This individual is Shedeur's brother, Deion Sanders Jr., who began the night by sending out motivational messages but concluded it by criticizing a team that overlooked his brother. At the start of the night, Deion Jr. shared uplifting excerpts from the Bible, clearly intended to inspire as Shedeur's draft stock began to decline.
Once it became evident that Shedeur would not be selected as high as anticipated, Deion Jr.'s demeanor shifted. He retweeted his own message as Shedeur continued to fall, which stated, 'The REJECTED WILL BE RESPECTED.' As the first round continued, Deion Jr. made his dissatisfaction known, particularly after he retweeted a comment from Mel Kiper Jr., the veteran draft analyst, who asserted that Shedeur would make teams regret passing on him.
However, the most provocative retweet was yet to come. Late in the draft, the New York Giants traded back into the first round, and it was widely believed they would choose a quarterback with that selection. The team did indeed select a quarterback, but it was not Sanders; instead, they opted for Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart with the No. 25 pick. Deion Jr. reacted to this decision by retweeting former Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, who remarked that this pick exemplified why the Giants struggle to win games.
Draft analysts expressed differing opinions regarding the selection. Some felt that the Giants positioned Dart for success, while Charles McDonald from Yahoo Sports assigned a D grade to the team for choosing a player who requires significant development before participating in NFL games. By the time Dart is prepared to compete, Brian Daboll, the coach responsible for drafting him, may no longer be with the team, which introduces a degree of risk. Deion Sanders defended Shedeur against criticism. Deion Jr. was not the only member of the Sanders family to make headlines on social media on Thursday.
As the draft commenced, Deion Sanders, Shedeur's father and coach, criticized ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky for his negative remarks about Shedeur. Deion reacted to a comment on a video where Orlovsky highlighted certain plays that Shedeur needed to improve for the NFL. One fan remarked that Orlovsky had become a hater. Deion replied, 'Yes he did! Wow.' The Orlovsky video contained typical draft analysis, where he used several plays to point out weaknesses in Shedeur's performance. Orlovsky even addressed the fan, clarifying that this type of analysis is standard for every quarterback. He emphasized that he does not harbor animosity towards Shedeur and anticipated that the Colorado quarterback would be selected in the first round.
Although these reactions were not the reason for Shedeur's draft decline, they underscored concerns that some evaluators had as the draft approached. In the lead-up to the draft, Tom Pelissero from NFL Network published an extensive article featuring anonymous NFL executives discussing the quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Shedeur faced considerable criticism in that article regarding both his skills and character. However, one analyst specifically pointed to Deion's involvement as a potential deterrent for some teams considering drafting Shedeur. 'You can't have your dad saying,