(Reuters) – Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who faced so much hype ahead of the NFL Draft as the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders and was once considered a potential top pick, is now squarely in the spotlight after a first-round snub.
Sanders, to some, was surprisingly not among the 32 players selected in Thursday’s opening round, where first overall pick Cam Ward was one of two quarterbacks taken, and he now turns his focus to the second and third rounds being held later on Friday.
Being selected in the first round of the NFL Draft is not just about status but also money and job security as players who are fortunate to have their names called early receive more lucrative and longer contracts with their new team.
Sanders, who last December finished eighth in voting for the Heisman Trophy given to college football’s most outstanding player, is a slightly undersized quarterback who has shown he possesses outstanding touch, accuracy and toughness.
While Sanders’ toughness is unquestionable, some critics feel he does not have elite size, arm strength or athleticism though still think he can find success in the NFL working with an offense that is based on timing and ball placement.
Among some other concerns are what role, if any, Sanders’ father, who was the fifth overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft and known as “Primetime” during his playing days, would look to have in his son’s pro career.
The Cleveland Browns and New York Giants both entered the first round of the NFL Draft in need of help at quarterback but both declined to take a chance on Sanders.
Cleveland took a defensive player with the fifth overall draft pick while the Giants, who had two first-round selections, used their second of the night to take Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart 25th overall.
The 23-year-old Sanders, who was coached by his father at Colorado the last two seasons, admitted he did not expect to fall out of the first round but remained optimistic his time will come and is now more motivated to prove any doubters wrong.
“I don’t feel like this happened for no reason. All of this is, of course, fuel to the fire,” Sanders, wearing an oversized diamond-studded chain that featured a dollar sign and his brand name “Legendary”, said in a video posted to social media on Thursday.
“Under no circumstances did we all know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow’s the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis)
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