Jax Ulbrich, the son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, sparked controversy after he got his hands on Sheduer Sanders' phone number from his father's computer before the start of the NFL Draft.
The NFL subsequently fined the Falcons assistant coach $100,000. The league also issued the Falcons a $250,000 fine.
The situation sparked some debate about whether Ulbrich, in his second stint with Atlanta, would be dismissed from his job. But Ulbrich said he was never concerned his job was at risk.
"In all honesty, I never went there, but I felt nothing but support from the organization in every single way, from the people that worked the line in the cafeteria to [owner] Mr. [Arthur] Blank himself, all of them," Ulbrich told ESPN Wednesday.
Ulbrich handled various assistant coaching roles from 2015-2020 during his first stint with the Falcons. Head coach Raheem Morris, also in his second stint with the team, brought Ulbrich back to Atlanta in January to fill the defensive coordinator opening.
The Falcons fired former defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake shortly after the regular season ended.
"I felt great support from him. It was one of the biggest reasons, in all honesty, that I came back here because of the organization and what I think of this building," Ulbrich added.
Ulbrich said he still hasn't decided on discipline for his son.
"We're still working through that, but it was a challenge for our family," Ulbrich said. "But it's a challenge that everyone in our family's up for. And like I said, it's going to make my son better because of it."
During a news conference last month, Ulbrich said Jax's actions were "absolutely inexcusable." He also said he was unaware his son was responsible for the prank call until after the draft, but he was "shocked" when he did learn of the development.
In response, she told Ricks. "Missed you today," and included a photo of a note to the cornerback that said, "stopped by to say hi! Sorry to miss you! Go Birds!"
The president's daughter then shared a series of videos and photos showing her son Theo at the Eagles' training complex playing catch on the practice field.
Ricks joined the Eagles in 2023 as an undrafted free agent out of LSU and Alabama.
He played 16 games in 2023 and seven in 2024, registering 21 tackles and three pass breakups. A lot of his snaps have come on special teams.
Ivanka is married to Jared Kushner, and they have three children — Theo, Arabella and Joseph.
The controversial draft slide of quarterback Shedeur Sanders last month sparked national debate that included a harsh reaction from ESPN's lead draft analyst, Mel Kiper Jr.
Now, Kiper has a supporter in Sanders' father and college coach, Deion Sanders.
Clips of Kiper bashing NFL teams for passing on Shedeur throughout the three-day event were mocked on social media, and the pundit repeatedly praised the quarterback's talent and value.
"I think it's disgusting. I don't understand what the heck's going on with this. ... I don't see, outside of [not having] the rocket arm, 4.6 speed … what is [Shedeur Sanders] lacking? Somebody's gonna have to explain that one to me," Kiper exclaimed on air after Sanders fell out of the second round.
Deion praised Kiper.
"But I Love u my man! You stood on the desk with great balance 10 toes down and said what u doggone said & didn’t flinch. You knew what time it was my man & we’re blessed to be right where God wanted us to be. ‘With OPPORTUNITY’ they forgot I was in the tv/entertainment business for 20 years before coaching," Sanders wrote in an X post sharing one of Kiper's posts.
Kiper's post was in response to a tweet that mentioned criticism of the analyst for "overshadowing" the moment when No. 1 overall pick quarterback Cam Ward was selected.
The Tuesday before the draft, NFL Network released a summary of the top 18 prospects in this year's class.
Sanders' section included comments from an anonymous assistant coach who said Sanders was "the worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life. He's so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates. … But the biggest thing is, he's not that good."
An anonymous longtime executive added, "It didn't go great in our interview. He wants to dictate what he's going to do and what's best for him. He makes you feel small."
Throughout the draft, Kiper's irritation and affection for Sanders became one of the most discussed topics on social media. NBC-owned Pro Football Talk even addressed Kiper's analysis on X.
Sanders was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick after one of the most unprecedented draft slides of a top quarterback prospect in NFL history.
ESPN’s NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. and Miami Hurricanes football coach Mario Cristobal were in a war of words on Wednesday over coverage of quarterback Cam Ward.
The Tennessee Titans selected the one-time Heisman Trophy contender with the No. 1 overall pick of the draft last month. It was the easiest selection the Titans could have made, and it arguably went under-covered as Shedeur Sanders’ draft slide began as the Jacksonville Jaguars traded up with the Cleveland Browns to select Travis Hunter with the No. 2 pick.
Kiper faced criticism during the three days of the draft as he harped on the surprise of Sanders’ fall and even had an on-air tiff with Rece Davis once the Browns eventually selected the quarterback in the fifth round.
Cristobal said neither he nor offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson spoke to Kiper about Ward, even though he spoke to a "million people," according to The Action Network.
"Never heard from him," the coach said. "I don’t think I’ve ever talked to him."
Cristobal added that he was not "disappointed" and would only be if Ward was upset. He expressed confidence that Ward just wanted to hear his name called and get to work.
"Mario Cristobal claims he spoke to a million people about Cam Ward, yet the one he didn’t speak to, being me, had Ward ranked higher (6th on my Big Board) than any of the other draft experts. Interesting isn’t it," he wrote on X. "And oh by the way, I didn’t speak to Deion about Shedeur either. I need another Orange Crush after this nonsense."
It was Kiper’s first post on the social media platform since April 23, and it appeared Sanders’ fall still stuck with him.
Ward will likely be the starting quarterback once the Titans’ season begins. Tennessee learned it will take on the Denver Broncos to begin the 2025 season on Sept. 7.
Malaki Starks got the best of both worlds on draft night.
Sure, everyone wants to be an early selection, but more often than not, that leads to landing on a subpar team. While Starks was not a top-20 pick, he still heard his name called in the first round, and he now calls a Super Bowl contender his new home.
The defensive back was selected by the Baltimore Ravens with the 27th pick late last month, who two seasons ago were in the AFC Championship. This past season, they were oh-so close to getting back.
This year figures to be similar for Baltimore, as long as they have MVP candidate Lamar Jackson at the helm.
The difference in skill from college to the NFL does not need explaining, but Starks said there is another concern on his mind in the leap to the pros.
"There are a lot of rules that are a lot different than it is in college," Starks told Fox News Digital. "The dimensions, I’m still used to the hashed being farther in. I spent time after practices walking through my steps because I’m so programmed to go to a certain spot. Just really relearning all the rules, dimensions, things like that."
However, Starks has "a good group of elite guys" to learn from.
Starks has been a part of a perennial winner for a long while. He spent his college days at Georgia. And ahead of the draft, he did even more winning while teaming up with Tide to participate in their Laundry Games alongside Spice Adams and fellow draftee Matthew Golden.
"We did this thing where you had a laundry thing on your head and had to balance it walking back and forth. Matthew couldn’t do it. I got to rub it in his face," Starks joked.
"People think prep starts on the field, but it actually starts in the laundry room. You feel good when you look good."
Perhaps Starks may feel some added pressure, though, given his team's expectations. However, being a Bulldog, that is already instilled in him.
"It’s kind of what I’m used to since I went to the University of Georgia. They were just off their first natty in forever, so coming in and filling those shoes, it’s the standard that the organization has and run their business," he said. "I’m excited to come into this organization and learn from a lot of the older guys and what it means to play like a Raven."
Green Bay Packers great Clay Matthews pulled a hilarious stunt at the NFL Draft in Green Bay last month.
Matthews, 38, was on stage to kick off the draft with other former Packers’ stars and superfan Lil’ Wayne. He stepped up the microphone and said he had a "message" to deliver from President Donald Trump.
"I just got off the phone with the president, Donald Trump. He asked me to pass a message along to all 32 NFL franchises. Let me tell you what it reads here, alright?" Matthews began.
"It says, ‘My fellow Americans, the Bears still suck!’"
Matthews' stunt sent the Green Bay crowd and social media into a frenzy. The idea for the stunt began when he first found out he was going to be on stage.
"I looked at last year's (NFL Draft in Detroit) and it was Calvin Johnson, Barry Sanders, Aiden Hutchinson, Jared Goff, and I thought it was great. You got a mixture of legends and current players and but they all went up there, and they just screamed into the mic. I was just like I don't really just want to get up there and be like Green Bay make some noise so I was like let's make this memorable." Matthews said during a recent appearance on "Bussin’ With the Boys."
The former Packers star certainly made it memorable. Matthews received his wife’s blessing to go ahead with the plan, and then she provided some assistance as she photoshopped Trump’s letterhead onto the paper.
Matthews did not tell the NFL what he was going to do, because he did not think the league would approve it.
"I didn't tell anybody because I knew the NFL wasn't going to approve it. I knew in today's political climate you mentioned one political affiliation, left, right, like it's just not going to go over well with the NFL," Matthews said.
As Matthews waited for his moment backstage, the nerves set in as no one knew what was about to happen. However, it went smoothly.
"Execution, delivery, everything was on point. I was happy with how it landed the boys all behind me they enjoyed it they had no idea, so they were you know equally as fired up you know anytime you can take a chance to put the Bears down you got to take it," Matthews said.
While it went smoothly onstage, Matthews was worried about the potential repercussions from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell backstage.
"I went backstage I’m like, ‘Oh now I got to face I got to face the wrath of Goodell and everybody else," Matthews said.
However, the former Packers’ great said Goodell was "super cool" about it, and they asked to take a picture of the letter to put on social media.
While it went well, Matthews said he would probably never be invited back for the epic stunt.
Quinn Ewers entered the 2024 college football season with many pundits projecting him as a first-rounder in the 2025 NFL Draft. But the former Texas quarterback fell to the seventh and final round last month.
Ewers also became the last player at his position to come off the board. This year's draft class featured 14 quarterbacks. Ewers' agent spoke out after the quarterback's draft slide, and the 23-year-old is now breaking his silence.
Ewers admitted having to wait until the seventh round to hear his name called took him by surprise, but he is also embracing the opportunity he has with the Miami Dolphins.
"I didn’t expect to fall as low as I did," Ewers told The Associated Press Friday. "It is what it is at the end of the day, and I have the same opportunity that everybody else does. And I’m beyond thankful for that. I just want to go in there and play my game and learn and develop as a quarterback."
Ewers enters a quarterback room in Miami that already features Tua Tagovailoa and Zach Wilson, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft.
Ewers finished his two-year stint as the starter at Texas with a 21-5 record. He helped lift the Longhorns to College Football Playoff appearances the past two seasons. Ewers threw three touchdowns in a CFP quarterfinal double overtime thriller against Arizona State.
Ewers' college football career started at Ohio State, but he transferred to Texas. He ended his career in Austin with 68 touchdowns to his credit.
Tagovailoa appeared in just 11 games during the 2024 season. Injuries and the long-term health of the Pro Bowl quarterback remain a topic of conversation.
Wilson landed with the Denver Broncos last season after a turbulent three-year run with the New York Jets. Ewers acknowledged the competitive nature that exists among the Dolphins' quarterbacks.
"There’s a lot of guys out there right now, and everyone’s fighting for the same job," Ewers said. "And we’re all competitive, but it’s cool at the same time, just because, at the end of the day, some of these guys are going to end up being teammates with us. But you’ve got to earn the job and earn the trust of those guys as well."
Before the draft, Cleveland had three other quarterbacks signed — Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett.
Watson is recovering from a ruptured Achilles he reinjured in January, but he's still in the mix for Week 1. Flacco and Pickett also started games last year for other teams.
And a crowded room like that is not ideal for Sanders, Robert Griffin III suggested.
"It’s horrible. It’s an absolutely terrible position for a QB to be in," he said on his podcast.
"Let’s get real, people. This is the thing nobody wants to talk about. Shedeur Sanders is in a situation where the NFL and the Cleveland Browns have set him up to sink or swim in Year 1. What I really mean by that is, they set him up to fail. Shedeur Sanders is the fourth quarterback on the Cleveland Browns roster."
"Brought in 4 QBs this offseason and the last one they brought in, Shedeur Sanders, is the #1 selling jersey of all rookies despite being drafted in the 5th round after their 3rd round pick Dillon Gabriel," Griffin explained on X.
"Shedeur is the headliner of the group. He sells tickets. He sells jerseys. He sells confidence to his teammates who have said they can’t wait to play with him and non-teammates.
"The Cleveland Browns headliner is their 4th QB on the roster who will get the least amount of reps and opportunity in the group. That’s a set up for dysfunction. That’s the Browns," Griffin added on X.
Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe and Gabriel were all selected before Sanders in the draft.
As Sheduer Sanders inexplicably fell down NFL Draft boards, President Donald Trump implored NFL owners to take a chance on the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback.
Sanders was projected to go as early as No. 2 before his draft slide, which had the entire sports world talking and wondering why it happened.
During the draft, Trump took aim at team owners as franchises passed on Sanders.
"What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID?" Trump wrote on April 25. "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."
At one point during a recent phone interview with Fox News contributor Hugh Hewitt, the president was asked about what motivated him to defend Sanders. Trump said it was a combination of NFL great Deion Sanders, Shedeur's father, and the young quarterback's "genetics."
"His father is a big Trump fan, and I like it when people are Trump fans," Trump told Hewitt. "His father has said great things about me over the years.
"No 2, genetics. He has good genes for a football player. I watched him play for a little bit, and I thought he was a really talented quarterback. I like his gene pool, and I like his talent. I really think he's going to do well. I just felt they treated him really badly."
Shilo Sanders, Shedeur’s brother, also weighed in on Trump's involvement.
"Man, I’m not even gonna lie. That was the coolest thing I've ever seen, bro," he said on the "One Night with Steiny" podcast. "Fam, if you got the president tweeting, bro, you know something’s wrong."
Shortly after last month's draft wrapped up, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Shilo as an undrafted free agent. The signing prompted a message of gratitude from his Hall of Fame father.
"I'm very thankful. Tampa's a wonderful spot," Deion said during a Twitch stream. "Coach [Todd] Bowles is a defensive-minded guy. He's brilliant."
The two-time Super Bowl winner took it a step further by making a call to Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht.
"Coach Prime called him Saturday night and thanked him for giving (Shilo) a fair shot," according to Joe Bucs Fan.
Sheduer finished the 2024 season with 4,134 passing yards. He will join a crowded quarterback room in Cleveland that features Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel.
Former Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty headlined the Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 NFL Draft class. But the franchise's sixth-round selection caught Tom Brady's eye.
Cam Miller, who won two FCS national championships during his standout career at North Dakota State, was the 215th overall pick in last month's draft.
Brady owns a minority ownership stake in the Raiders. The Athletic chronicled Brady's close relationship with Raiders general manager John Spytek. Brady's friendship with Spytek dates back to the University of Michigan. Spytek also worked in the Buccaneers' front office during Brady's time in Tampa Bay.
The outlet reported that the seven-time Super Bowl winner was on the call with Raiders owner Mark Davis and other limited partners during Spytek's interview for the general manager's job. Given the build-up of trust between Brady and Spytek, it stands to reason that the former NFL quarterback was on board with taking Miller on the third day of the draft.
Spytek revealed that Brady provided a glowing assessment of Miller, saying, "He liked the way he threw it, his technique, throwing from the ground up and his motion."
The Raiders general manager added that Brady was bullish on Miller's "potential to improve."
Miller ended his four-year run at North Dakota State with a 45-11 record. He will enter a Raiders quarterback room that includes Geno Smith and Aidan O'Connell.
The Raiders sent a third-round pick in the 2025 draft to the Seahawks in exchange for Smith. The move to Las Vegas brought Smith's five-year run with the Seahawks to an end. He was the primary starter for three of those seasons and earned Pro Bowl honors twice.
Smith threw for 4,320 yards and 21 touchdowns with 15 interceptions last season and remains the favorite to be the starter when the Raiders open their season, even with the drafting of Miller.
The Raiders finished 4-13 last season, which led to the departures of coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco. Pete Carroll, who coached Smith in Seattle, was named the Raiders' new head coach in January.
The Raiders also spent part of the offseason making sure a key piece of their defense was locked in for the foreseeable future. Defensive end Maxx Crosby landed the richest contract for a non-quarterback in league history in March. ESPN reported his three-year extension is worth $106.5 million, with $91.5 million guaranteed. The deal ties Crosby to Las Vegas through the 2029 season.
Shedeur Sanders' fall from projected first overall pick to 144th in this year's NFL Draft stunned countless NFL fans, and one fan was so shocked he is taking legal action.
An anonymous fan of the quarterback has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the NFL over the fall.
The plaintiff is a self-identified Georgia native and fan of Sanders' college team, the University of Colorado. The lawsuit alleged leaked statements that Sanders "tanked interviews," "wasn't prepared" and was "too cocky," damaged the player's reputation and hurt his eventual draft position.
The lawsuit suggested the situation violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
"The decisions made regarding Sanders may have been influenced by racial discrimination, violating his rights as a player," the lawsuit states.
Sanders' slide during the draft prompted heated racial debates on social media, including an X interaction between ESPN host Stephen A. Smith and Barstool founder Dave Portnoy. Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman suggested the reason Sanders slid was because "America continues to fear strong black men."
However, the first overall pick in this year's draft was former Miami quarterback Cam Ward, who is, like Sanders, Black. In fact, the last three players to be taken No. 1 in the NFL draft have been Black quarterbacks.
Still, as a result of the slide, the plaintiff claimed he had experienced "intentional infliction of emotional distress and trauma."
"The NFL's actions and the dissemination of slanderous statements have caused severe emotional distress and trauma to the plaintiff, resulting in frustration, disappointment and psychological harm as a fan," the suit says. "The NFL may have engaged in unfair practices by misrepresenting the nature of the drafting process and the qualifications of players."
Fox News Digital reached out to the NFL for comment.
The Tuesday before the draft, NFL Media released a summary of the top 18 prospects in this year's class.
Sanders' section included comments from an anonymous assistant coach, who said Sanders was "the worst formal interview I've ever been in in my life. He's so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates. … But the biggest thing is, he's not that good."
An anonymous longtime executive added, "It didn't go great in our interview. He wants to dictate what he's going to do and what's best for him. He makes you feel small."
However, Sanders and his family have not expressed any such grievances about the quarterback's draft slide. The quarterback was taken in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns.
Sanders is expected to contend for the team's starting quarterback job with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who was taken ahead of Sanders in the third round.
The team announced Tuesday that Sanders will wear the jersey No. 12.
The NFL Draft will be held on the National Mall in 2027, President Donald Trump announced Monday, with the expectation that more than 1 million people will come to the event over the course of its three days.
Trump spoke to the right of the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office of the White House. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington Commanders team owner Josh Harris and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser thanked the president for his cooperation in helping to get the deal done.
"The draft has really become one of the great entertainment and sports events," Goodell said. "Over a week ago in Green Bay, we had over 600,000 people attend. The year before, in Detroit, we had close to 800,000. … We believe we’ll be well over a million when we come here to D.C. in 2027.
"Not only do we believe it’s a great site, we believe it’s consistent with what the president said, which is investing in our communities and investing specifically here in the nation’s capital. … We think we can have a tremendous impact on this community. It will not just be an event. It will be something that will show the world how far the nation’s capital has come and where it’s going."
Harris called it a "great day for Washington." He presented the president with a Commanders jersey and called Trump the "ultimate commander."
The draft was, at one point, a permanent fixture at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The event was held all in one day. However, as the NFL took the draft on the road, the event moved to three days. Chicago hosted it in 2015-16 with Philadelphia and Dallas hosting it after that.
Goodell announced the picks from home in the 2020 draft because of the coronavirus pandemic. Cleveland, Las Vegas, Kansas City and Detroit had it after that.
The Washington Commanders will reportedly host the 2027 NFL Draft in Washington, D.C., as the organization gears up to build a new stadium in the nation’s capital.
President Donald Trump is expected to make the announcement on Monday, according to multiple reports.
Commanders team owner Josh Harris had thought of bringing the draft to the National Mall at least once over the next few years. He revealed his dream in August as he worked on securing the old RFK Stadium site as the team’s new home.
"Think about the idea of having — and I’m not breaking news here, it’s not done yet — but think about a draft on the Mall, and how exciting that would be, for the city of Washington, for the NFL," Harris said at the time. "Everyone sees that, and obviously there’s a lot of complexity to it with the Park Service ... but I believe it will happen, and it’s a question of when."
The draft was just held in Green Bay last week. The NFL’s smallest market hosted more than 600,000 fans over the three days.
The draft was, at one point, a permanent fixture at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The event was held all in one day. However, as the NFL took the draft on the road, the event moved to three days. Chicago hosted it in 2015-16 with Philadelphia and Dallas hosting it after that.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the picks from home in the 2020 draft because of the coronavirus pandemic. Cleveland, Las Vegas, Kansas City and Detroit had it after that.
President Donald Trump implored NFL owners to take a chance on Shedeur Sanders in the NFL Draft as the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback fell to the fifth round.
Sanders was projected to go as early as No. 2 before his epic draft slide, which had the entire sports world talking and wondering why it happened. The Trump post on Truth Social was one of the more underrated parts of the weekend.
Shilo Sanders, Shedeur’s brother, was asked about the post in a recent podcast interview.
"Man, I’m not even gonna lie, that was the coolest thing I've ever seen bro," he said on the "One Night with Steiny" podcast. "Fam, if you got the president tweeting, bro, you know something’s wrong."
Sanders called it a "W" for Trump.
Trump made his voice heard on the Friday before Sanders was picked.
"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.
"He should be "picked" IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!"
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested on the following Monday that Trump’s post was influential.
Shedeur Sanders will have a chance to compete for the starting quarterback job against Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel.
Shilo Sanders signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. He could be depth for the Buccaneers in the secondary.
Sheduer Sanders' unexpected drop from a projected first-round pick to a fifth-round selection was the most polarizing topic from last week's NFL Draft.
Longtime ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. was among the staunch defenders of Sanders, and the former Colorado star's fall to the Cleveland Browns appeared to leave the broadcaster in a state of disbelief.
Shortly after Sanders' name came off the board, Kiper unleashed on NFL franchises, which led to a clash between him and colleague Rece Davis.
Kiper said the NFL had been "clueless" for five decades evaluating quarterbacks. Kiper appeared further perplexed due to his belief Sanders is "one of the toughest quarterbacks you’ve ever seen."
NFL analyst Louis Riddick then explained to Kiper that the question wasn’t about whether Sanders could play quarterback but, from a team perspective, whether a team wanted him. Davis agreed with Riddick, who added, "The draft has spoken."
The on-air spat sparked questions about whether some level of animosity existed between Davis and Kiper. But during a recent appearance on OutKick's "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich," the ESPN "College GameDay" host made it clear he doesn't have a problem with his colleague.
Davis acknowledged the job Kiper is tasked with as a draft analyst.
"First of all, and I'm not doing that thing that Pete Thamel accuses me of, where I say two things nice about somebody and then offer a critique or something," Davis told Dakich. "But the reason there were … whatever the number (of fans) was in Detroit the previous year is largely due to what Mel's done for the draft.
"And Mel’s job is to make his rankings of the players and defend them. And I didn’t mind him disagreeing, and I don’t mind him saying anything he wanted to say when we're there. But I thought that, as a group, the part we were overlooking was the old Occam's razor philosophy — the most likely explanation for something is probably correct. We don’t know for sure."
Davis then pointed to Sanders' widely scrutinized handling of the pre-draft process, arguing it could have played a role in the quarterback's fall.
"But it was almost certain that, at that point in the draft, that something had happened in the pre-draft process involving Shedeur Sanders that was keeping teams from taking him," Davis added. "Now, I think it’s a reasonable debate if you say he's not a top 5 quarterback on tape at this time.
"I'm not sure that it's reasonable that he's not a first or second-round type guy. That seems a little unreasonable to me. So, if you go beyond that, then something else probably happened. And my only point was I didn't think we were giving that the proper credence."
Davis said his relationship with Kiper was in a good place, and he enjoys working with him.
"It’s fine. I didn’t even know there was an issue until I started getting texts like you were saying," he said. "It’s sort of part and parcel of what we do. Sometimes, for the analyst’s own good and for the good of the show, you challenge their position. Mel’s great. I love working with Mel. And he’s the reason the draft is what it is, in my opinion."
Shortly after the Browns selected Sanders on the final day of the draft, he took to social media to share a short but emotional message: "Thank you GOD."
Sanders finished the 2024 season at Colorado with 4,134 passing yards. He will join a crowded quarterback room in Cleveland with Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel.
Over the past week, Shedeur Sanders' free fall down NFL draft boards became one of the most talked-about topics in the sports world.
While he was once projected as a first-round pick, it took until the fifth round for the former Colorado quarterback's name to come off the board. Shortly after the Cleveland Browns selected Sanders on the final day of the annual draft, he took to social media to share a short but emotional message: "Thank you GOD."
In the days since, many in the sports world and beyond have attempted to analyze Sanders' drop. During a visit to Churchill Downs ahead of Saturday's Kentucky Derby, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon became one of the latest to weigh in on the Sanders saga.
Moon, a nine-time Pro Bowler during his storied career, offered Sanders advice as he prepares to begin his NFL career with the Browns.
"You can’t act like a cornerback when you’re playing quarterback. Quarterback is a humble position. You’ve got to be respectful," Moon said Friday during an appearance on "Up & Adams."
Moon also reminded Sanders of the great responsibility that he would shoulder as an NFL quarterback.
"You’ve got to be a leader. You’re the face of the franchise. There’s so much more responsibility that comes along with it, (and) that’s what he has to understand," Moon added.
When asked to describe his pre-draft interview experience with Shedeur, an anonymous NFL assistant coach noted it was "the worst formal interview" he'd been privy to.
"He's so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates. … But the biggest thing is he's not that good," the unnamed assistant coach said via NFL Media.
Despite the scrutiny Sanders' pre-draft process received, Moon expressed optimism about the opportunity ahead for the young signal-caller now that he has a clean slate.
"You (Sanders) understand the things that you might’ve done wrong or done right throughout the pre-draft process, but now you’re drafted," Moon said. "You’re in an organization. You’ve got a chance to go in there and make a name for yourself. It’s how you go about doing it. It’s how you attack it. There’s nobody there that’s solidified in that job at quarterback right now."
Sanders finished the 2024 season at Colorado with 4,134 passing yards. He will join a crowded quarterback room in Cleveland, joining Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel.
Other reports have said Sanders appeared disinterested in some meetings, notably with the New York Giants.
Now that the draft has come and gone, one CBS analyst recalled when Sanders skipped out on something he was "supposed to be doing."
Star players, normally quarterbacks, and coaches often meet with broadcasters in the days leading up to a game, but before a game against Colorado State, Sanders skipped one of those meetings, according to CBS' Ross Tucker.
Tucker said Sanders was initially supposed to speak with CBS on a Wednesday, but it was pushed back two days because he was getting treatment for an injury. But he never showed up to the rescheduled meeting.
"We weren’t really given a reason, but we did not talk to Shedeur at the production meetings, which, as you know, starting quarterback, especially high-profile player like that, very unusual. I walk out of the hotel, and there’s a pickup truck in front of the hotel, and Shedeur is just sitting in the back of the pickup truck," Tucker said on "The Dan Patrick Show."
"It just made me wonder. People asked me, NFL people asked me after that game, ‘What did you think of Shedeur?’ And I said, ‘I didn’t get to talk to him.’ Maybe he’s the greatest kid ever, maybe he’s a bad kid. I don’t know. But I told them the story, and they just kind of nodded their head.
"And it just made me wonder how many stories are there like that in which Shedeur did things that were not customary. He did things non-traditionally. It certainly seemed like that was the deal with a lot of the combine interviews and meetings with teams. And especially at that position, I think it makes them very nervous that already in college he was getting out of things that you’re supposed to be doing. What's he gonna be like if he's a first-round pick in the NFL Draft?"
Sanders was drafted 144th overall by the Cleveland Browns. His slide in the draft began after the New York Giants traded up to 25 to select Jaxson Dart. Then, on day two, three other quarterbacks — Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe and Dillon Gabriel — were all taken. Gabriel also went to the Browns.
Cleveland also has Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett in its quarterback room.
New York Giants No. 3 overall pick Adbul Carter wanted to wear Lawrence Taylor's retired No. 56 jersey, but Taylor said no. Luckily for Carter, another Giants' great may be more willing to un-retire his jersey number.
Phil Simms, 69, said that giving up his retired No. 11 for Carter or rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart would not bother him.
"Hey, look, I told some of my friends and people around me, I said, ‘Oh, I'll let him have it in a second.’ I said, ‘Can you just help it a little and make it better?’" Simms said on FanDuel TV.
"I think it would be a lot of fun, it wouldn’t bother me."
Simms said if Adbul Carter were to ask for it, he would give him the jersey number if it were up to him, but his family and agent may not want him to give it up.
Carter reposted the clip of Simms talking about un-retiring his jersey.
"It would be an HONOR," Carter posted to X about wearing Simms’ number.
If Simms does indeed give his retired number to Carter or Dart, it would be the second consecutive year the Giants un-retired a number for a rookie. Last season, the team un-retired the late Ray Flaherty’s #1 for wide receiver Malik Nabers.
Flaherty’s family gave the Giants permission to un-retire the number for Nabers, who wore it well. Nabers, as a rookie, set the franchise record for most receptions in a season with 109.
In 15 games, Nabers had 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns despite subpar quarterback play.
Simms is a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Giants, and went 95-64 as the Giants starter over his 14 seasons with the team.
The NFL began supplying select draft prospects with single-purpose phones, but that has become a problem for the players, teams, and, yes, the league itself, because the numbers are being leaked with unacceptable frequency now.
You know about the leak of Shedeur Sanders' phone number. That one was quite public and ultimately easy to solve.
It was all over social media and Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich had Sanders' number, supplied to him via email from the NFL, and that somehow got into the hands of his 21-year-old son Jax, who then facilitated a viral prank call to Sanders.
What you may not know is that the phone Sanders got the call on was not his own. It was provided by the NFL only days prior to the draft.
Even Sanders said in one of his released videos of the incident that the phone "ain't in my name."
Added Sanders: "I just got this phone yesterday."
That's true because the NFL provided the phone so that teams could be certain of immediately reaching Sanders and other prospects and not have lines of communication crossed while prospects might have otherwise been on their personal phones – perhaps communicating with friends and family or simply in a dead cell zone.
And here's the kicker: The NFL began supplying these single-purpose phones to make sure its draft telecasts were not awkwardly interrupted or turned uncomfortable with phone calls that didn't reach the players, a former league official told OutKick on Thursday.
So, basically, the league provided phones for select prospects to make sure the calls got through at the exact moment teams needed them and the exact moment television partners wanted them to get the calls on air to keep their broadcasts humming.
The NFL provided the phones and then provided an estimated 2,000 NFL and club employees with the numbers via email, multiple sources confirmed.
If this doesn't seem like an inefficient way of making sure an NFL draft broadcast delivers the iconic prospect-answering-the-call-from-the-team moment, then consider these facts:
Sanders was one of a double-digit number of prospects – some who have not been publicly identified – who got prank calls on their league-issued phones, one league source estimated Thursday.
The NFL has been mum about this subject other than to say it is investigating.
That's ironic because one supposes the investigation by the NFL would have to begin with none other than the NFL itself.
Did the league send out the numbers to an unnecessarily wide group of people? That's possible because not only did general managers, their staff and coaches get the numbers, but secondary staffers and some media did as well, a source said.
So public relations people, non-football executives, even some equipment managers and training staff may have gotten the delivered list of numbers.
The league may have to pare the list of people who get the numbers to its single-purpose phones in the future because, well, it's got a problem that it doesn't like.
And one reason the NFL doesn't like this problem is because it's gone public.
In this draft alone, we know the list of players who received prank phone calls prior to being selected includes: Sanders, Giants edge rusher Abdul Carter, Browns defensive tackle Mason Graham, Colts tight end Tyler Warren, Commanders offensive lineman Josh Conerly, Bills offensive lineman Chase Lundt and Eagles quarterback Kyle McCord.
"I got a few prank calls earlier in the day from 609 numbers and 215 numbers, so I'm like, alright, when I got that 215 phone call, I was thinking it was another prank call," McCord told Philadelphia area reporters. "But picking up the phone and having [general manager] Howie [Roseman] on the other side, it was pretty cool."
McCord actually got multiple prank calls before the draft even began. There were so many that when the legitimate call came from the Eagles, he expected it to be another prank.
"I didn't really think it was going to be legit, to be honest, because I got a bunch of 215 calls obviously leading up to the draft," McCord said. "And, you know, obviously, sitting there anxious to see what area code pops up and it was 215.
"So, I'm thinking, you know, I don't know who it was going to be. And then I picked up the phone. I said, ‘Hello,’ and then to hear Howie's voice on the other side, alright, not what I expected, but I was super pumped that it happened."
Prank phone calls are as old as, well, phone calls themselves.
And they're not new to the NFL, either.
In 2013, two 20-year-olds somehow got then-Bills general manager Buddy Nix and then-Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik on a conference call. And, amazingly, during the call, the two GMs proceeded to discuss free agency plans for six full minutes.
Yes, funny, but not for the player that was primarily discussed: Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
But the 2025 NFL draft seems to be the boiling point for the league on prank calls.
Expect some changes in how it handles the distribution of the numbers, the former league employee speculated, even if its own investigation finds nothing wrong with its actions.
Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft position has been a topic of heavy debate, and New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers explained why he’s mad at how far the Colorado Buffaloes quarterback slipped down draft boards.
Watching Sanders not only fall past day one, but also day two of the draft rubbed Nabers the wrong way, and the second-year receiver told the "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast why.
"You don’t do that to somebody like that," Nabers told New York Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony and The Kid Mero. "You can’t knock his talent."
Nabers, the sixth overall pick by the Giants in 2024, went further with his analysis on Sanders’ play.
"I heard a lot of things about he takes unnecessary sacks. He had a bad O-line. You know, he threw for a 70% [completion rate] with a bad O-line. Talk about his escaping the pocket. You can pull up plenty of clips of him escaping three or four tackles and throwing it down the field.
"Most of his receivers had seven to eight touchdowns. He played with Travis Hunter. He won the Biletnikoff. There’s just some things you can’t knock."
Reports surfaced during Sanders’ slide that said the quarterback prospect, once believed to be a sure-fire first-round selection, had bad interviews with multiple teams, prompting them to to pass on him.
His personality off the field and his different passions and ventures may have deterred teams.
"We gotta stop making feelings with how people play linger," Nabers argued. "Yeah, he might have some things that he might say on camera, off the field. Whatever’s dealing with that, that don’t have to do with how he plays football.
"Everybody’s got different personalities. You’re never going to meet somebody that’s got the same personality anywhere. We’re all made different. So, for them to judge him on just the things that he says or how he carries himself. How he carries himself is all about how his dad raised him, and we all know Deion, bro. C'mon. We all know Deion."
The elder Sanders, the Hall of Fame, two-sport star who has coached Shedeur since his freshman year at Jackson State, is also someone people have pointed fingers at after watching his son fall down the draft board.
"They were just doing that to show how they were bigger than what he wanted to stand for," Nabers added. "I understand that, but you don’t do that. Not to a kid like that that has been working their whole life and been told that Deion’s kids are never going to be as good as him."
The Browns eventually pulled the trigger on Sanders, making him their fourth quarterback added to the depth chart this offseason. Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, who many had lower in rankings than Sanders, was taken in the third round of the draft by the Browns.
