Despite the constant spotlight and debate surrounding the Sanders family, Shedeur Sanders has found a consistent and vocal supporter in Mel Kiper Jr.
The longtime ESPN draft analyst has stood firmly behind the Cleveland Browns quarterback since the earliest stages of the draft process and never wavered, even when consensus shifted.
Kiper was visibly stunned on air when Sanders slid all the way into the fifth round of last year’s draft, a fall he never believed was justified. In Kiper’s evaluation, Sanders clearly belonged among the top quarterbacks available.
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Instead of hearing his name called early, the youngest son of NFL icon Deion Sanders landed in Cleveland and had to wait until late in the season for his opportunity. When that chance finally came, Sanders’ rookie year proved uneven but promising. He finished 3-4 as a starter and had some notable performances, including an impressive showing against Tennessee, a competitive effort versus Buffalo, and wins over Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
Statistically, Sanders threw for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, numbers that fueled criticism but didn’t sway Kiper.
“What the hell does he got to do? I don't know what else the kid needs to do” Kiper said on ESPN earlier this week after remaining largely quite throughout the season. “I've watched every play, every snap of Sheduer Sanders and he should be proud of what he had to go through and survive.”
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Browns fired head coach Kevin Stefanski on Black Monday. No word on if the Browns are committed to Sanders for the future. “Everything about Shedeur Sanders screams he's the quarterback,” Kiper said.
Addressing the interceptions directly, Kiper dismissed the blame placed on Sanders. He labeled several as “battled balls” and added, “(Joe) Burrow had one batted then a pick-six. You blaming Burrow for that? You blaming Shedeur for a couple balls that were picked off? You shouldn't.”
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