If anyone can empathize with Shedeur Sanders’ experience during the NFL Draft, it’s Tom Brady. The seven-time Super Bowl champion faced a disheartening draft day in 2000 when he wasn’t selected until the sixth round.
As challenging as Brady’s day was, Sanders’ situation was even more difficult. Brady was never expected to be a first-round selection, yet at one point during draft evaluations, Sanders was considered a likely top-three pick. Unexpectedly, he fell all the way to the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns eventually picked him.
Brady was watching the draft on Saturday alongside Michael Strahan, who revealed some insights regarding Brady’s reaction to Sanders’ fall in the draft.
“I spent time with Tom Brady this past weekend and we watched the draft, and as Tom said, ‘He’s an example, it doesn’t matter when you’re picked,’” Strahan remarked on Good Morning America.
Brady’s message emphasizes that the draft order does not determine a player’s chances of making it onto the team; the opportunity remains the same regardless. In Sanders’ case, even if he had been selected fifth overall by the Browns, he would find himself in the same competitive position against Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel for the starting quarterback role.
Though Sanders may earn significantly less as a fifth-round selection, he faces reduced pressure. Strahan pointed out that unnamed critics disparaging Sanders should disclose their identities when making such severe comments.
Despite the challenges, both Brady and Strahan agree that Sanders is well-positioned now. Strahan expressed, “Economically, this may have hurt Shedeur Sanders, but opportunity-wise it didn’t, because he’s on a team where I think he has a good shot to make a difference. I think he’s going to be a great player.”
Because of Sanders’ drop, he stands to lose approximately $13 million financially, but this burden will likely lessen if he can secure the starting job in Cleveland.
In summary, while Brady faced similar struggles during his own draft experience, Sanders now has the opportunity to prove to other teams that their decisions to overlook him were misguided.
