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Today — 25 April 2025Sport News

Jalen Milroe, Dillon Gabriel both taken ahead of Shedeur Sanders in unprecedented NFL Draft slide

After once being in the conversation to go top-five overall, Shedeur Sanders is not even a top-five quarterback taken.

Cam Ward and Jaxson Dart were first-round selections, but the New Orleans Saints took Tyler Shough with the 40th pick.

The Seattle Seahawks had the 92nd pick, and they pulled off a stunner by taking Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe.

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Three picks later, the Cleveland Browns, who had plenty of chances to take Sanders, went with Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

The Seahawks traded Geno Smith to the Raiders earlier this offseason and brought in Sam Darnold on a three-year, $100 million.

Milroe isn't very known for his arm, but some scouts say he has some of the best raw athleticism of any quarterback in the NFL Draft.

Gabriel, meanwhile, transferred to Oregon for his final year of NCAA eligibility, and the Ducks were the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. But, they lost to Ohio State, who won the national championship.

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That's now five quarterbacks taken ahead of Sanders, who continues to fall.

The Colorado quarterback said on Thursday night after round one that he "didn't expect" to fall into night two of the draft, so one can only imagine what is going through his mind right now.

Milroe threw for 5,678 yards and ran for 1,257 in his last two years at Alabama. He led his squad to the Rose Bowl after winning the SEC championship in the 2023 season, but they lost to the eventual national champions in Michigan.

Gabriel finished in third place in the Heisman Trophy vote this past season, leading the Big Ten in both completions and attempts. He threw for 3,857 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Quinn Ewers is also waiting on his name to be called - which would be as big a shock as anything.

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Shedeur Sanders prank-called during NFL Draft slide by imposter: 'Have to wait a little longer'

The emotional roller coaster for Shedeur Sanders plunged even harder during the second day of the NFL Draft. 

After falling to the third round and getting passed on in favor of two other quarterbacks projected to go much later than Sanders, he fell victim to an ill-timed prank call as the world watched. 

While he and his family live-streamed day two of their NFL Draft party on Twitch Friday night, Sanders was seen answering a phone call that he assumed was from a general manager making the decision to draft him. 

The 23-year-old quarterback had a big smile on his face as he answered and greeted the caller, with friends and family crowding around him. 

"I'm good, been waiting on you," he said. 

But the imposter on the other side told the eager young athlete that he would "have to wait a little longer," as Sanders' smile quickly faded.

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After the call ended, the crowd around Sanders broke out into concerned conversation, as he glared at his phone. 

Sanders has since ended his Twitch stream. 

Sanders' draft slide has been the biggest and most controversial storyline of this year's draft. 

After fellow quarterback Cam Ward out of Miami was selected with the first overall pick on Thursday, experts assumed Sanders would follow soon after as the second quarterback taken. But instead, Jaxson Dart was taken by the Giants late in the first round Tyler Shough was taken by the Saints early in the second. 

Both Dart and Shough were projected to go much later than Sanders by scouts and analysts.

At one point during the quarterback's slide on Thursday, his other brother, NFL safety prospect Shilo Sanders, insisted "something is going on" with Shedeur not being selected, as seen in footage posted by their other brother, Deion Sanders Jr.

"Bro, if they don't take you right now, it's something going on," Shilo said. "If they don't take him right now, it's something going on. I don't know what's going on, but it's something."

NFL DRAFT QUARTERBACK MISTAKES THAT SHAPED LEAGUE LANDSCAPE

In additional footage posted by Deion Jr. Thursday night, Shedeur addressed not being taken in a speech to his family when the first night of the draft was over.

"We all didn't expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything possible, everything possible. I don't feel like this happened for no reason. All of this is, of course, fuel to the fire. Under no circumstances did we all know this was going to happen, but we understand we on to bigger and better things," the quarterback said

"Tomorrow's the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary."

President Donald Trump even joined in on the debate on Friday, when he ripped "stupid" NFL owners for passing on the star Colorado quarterback and allowing him to fall into the second round.

"What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID? Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and was even greater in the NFL. He’s also a very good coach, streetwise and smart! Therefore, Shedeur, his quarterback son, has PHENOMENAL GENES, and is all set for Greatness," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post

"He should be "picked" IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!"

Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman joined the debate Friday, suggesting Sanders slid because "America continues to fear strong black men."

"The NFL doesn’t like [Shedeur] Sanders because he wears gold chains and talks like a rapper. They don’t care that he’s a leader, intelligent, tough and completed 77% of his passes with no O-line and no running game. He’s entitled but Eli Manning wasn’t entitled when he refused to be drafted by San Diego?" Bowman wrote on X. 

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Former Steelers star Ryan Clark has strong reaction to Pittsburgh passing on Shedeur Sanders

Shedeur Sanders' fall from the first-round of the 2025 NFL Draft remains a hot topic. 

As the second round came and went Friday, the former Colorado quarterback still did not hear his name called. 

While Sanders was widely considered one of the top quarterback prospects entering this year's draft, criticism about his predraft interviews began surfacing leading into Thursday.

Sanders' tendency to hold the ball for extended periods was also scrutinized.

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That and other factors seemingly contributed to chatter that Sanders' stock was dropping ahead of the draft. Although the New York Giants signed veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, the team was still linked to Sanders. 

But New York opted to trade up for Jaxson Dart.

ESPN star and former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark had a strong reaction to his former team deciding against Sanders when they were on the clock in the first round. 

"What the hell!" Clark said.

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The Steelers used the 21st pick on defensive tackle Derrick Harmon.

"Mason Rudolph? Mason Rudolph!?" Clark continued.

"He went to Tennessee and got worse. You know what we're gonna do? Oh, let's wait for Aaron. Wait for Aaron to make a decision. We let Aaron Rodgers hold us hostage like we're a four. We the Pittsburgh Steelers! We're supposed to be acting like a 10. We acting like a four."

Sanders finished the 2024 season with 4,134 passing yards.

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Raiders draft wide receiver Jack Bech, whose brother was killed in New Orleans terror attack

The Las Vegas Raiders again passed on Shedeur Sanders in the second round, but it turned into an emotional moment for another NFL Draft prospect.

With the 58th selection, the Raiders landed TCU wide receiver Jack Bech, who was named the Senior Bowl MVP after his game-winning touchdown.

That magical moment came one month to the day after his brother Tiger was killed in the New Orleans terror attack.

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Tiger, who played college football at Princeton, was one of the 14 victims killed in the early hours of New Year's Day on Bourbon Street. 

The New Orleans native played for Princeton from 2016-2018 and was an All-Ivy League kick returner. During his three-year career, he caught 53 passes for 825 yards with three touchdowns. He graduated from the university in 2021 and pursued a career in finance. 

He was working as a stockbroker in New York City but traveled home to Louisiana for the holidays. 

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Jack scored the walk-off touchdown in the Senior Bowl as time expired.

"My brother has some wings on me. He gave them to me, and he let that all take place. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Tiger, nothing else but them. They're the reason I did what I did today. I attribute it all to them," Jack said after the game.

"It's been surreal just to be able to come and be in this game. It's a goal you set for yourself. But if I had the option if I came here, had the worst week ever, ruin my draft stock, but that means I could hug my brother right now, I would take that. 

"But, on the flip side of that, I don't think I could have had the week that I had if all that wouldn't have happened. His wings were on my side. Him and Jesus Christ are the reasons I was able to do all of this."

After he was selected, cameras caught Jack sharing emotional embraces with his family.

"All the big brother does in life is want to see his little brother succeed. He's been my role model my whole life, the person I looked up to, the person I wanted to be. He was the best big brother I could ever ask for. My whole goal in the rest of my life is to live his legacy on."

Jack caught 62 passes for 1,034 yards, nine of which were touchdowns, for TCU last season. He joins Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker, with fellow rookie Ashton Jeanty in the backfield.

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Kelly Stafford weighs in on debate about significant others' inclusion on NFL Draft night

More than 30 prospects realized their NFL dreams Thursday night. Over the next two days, hundreds more will hear their names called as the 2025 NFL Draft continues.

Kelly Stafford, wife of Super Bowl-winning quarterback Matthew Stafford, knows what it's like to support a football player during the draft process. Matthew was the top pick in the 2009 draft. 

During a recent edition of her "Morning After" podcast, Kelly was asked about where she was the night her husband was drafted by the Detroit Lions

New York City hosted that year's draft, but Kelly said she was not at the event. She then delved into whether players' significant others should be included on draft night.

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She seemed to argue against NFL prospects having girlfriends with them on the big day.

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"I don’t see why guys do it because, if they do get drafted, and you have all your family, and you’re in the draft, and you have your girlfriend and the girlfriend's in the draft pics. And then, all of the sudden, the girlfriend’s gone. You don’t have draft pictures without a random girl, and I know she’s not random when you’re taking it, but she might be random eventually. Do you know what I mean? It’s a serious thing to consider," Kelly said.

The Staffords tied the knot in 2015 and share four daughters.

Later during the podcast, Kelly mentioned how sometimes couples debate whether to include a sibling's partner in the wedding party if the couple is not engaged.

"It’s like having your brother’s girlfriend in your wedding when they’re not engaged. And then, all of a sudden, do you know what I mean? You have all these photos with your family and the brother’s girlfriend — and not mine, because mine [brother Chad Hall] got married to [sister-in-law] Rose, so we were good. Like, what happens if Rose didn’t marry Chad, and she’s in all my wedding photos," Kelly said.

Matthew spent the first 12 years of his career with the Lions. The Rams acquired Stafford in a blockbuster trade that sent Jared Goff to Detroit.

While the "Morning After" podcast does occasionally touch on football, Stafford and co-host Henry Winchester tackle a wide range of other topics, including navigating friendships and parenting.  

"I'm very vulnerable throughout this podcast," explained Kelly, "because I feel safe in this community, which is why I love it."

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