President Trump Credited for Shedeur Sanders Being Selected in NFL Draft

President Donald Trump should get some credit for NFL prospect Shedeur Sanders being drafted, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt implied on Monday.

Why It Matters

Experts had predicted that Sanders, a former University of Colorado quarterback, would be among the top college football players drafted on Thursday in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

However, the son of NFL Hall of Fame player Deion Sanders, who was also his coach at Colorado, wasn't selected in the first round. He was then passed over by the league's 32 teams in ensuing rounds, ultimately being picked by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round on Saturday.

Following the first round, the president wrote on Truth Social that Sanders should be "'picked' IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN." While some have linked Trump's comment to the Browns' decision to draft Sanders, others have argued that the president's post may have delayed Sanders' selection.

What To Know

This year's NFL draft began on April 24. The following day, Trump wrote on Truth Social: "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. He should be 'picked' IMMEDIATELY by a team that wants to WIN. Good luck Shedeur, and say hello to your wonderful father!"

During Monday's White House press briefing, Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked Leavitt about Trump's post and whether the president believed he "deserves credit" for Sanders ultimately being selected.

"All I will say is, the president put out a statement, and a few rounds later he was drafted," Leavitt said. "So I think the facts speak for themselves on that one, Peter."

Social media users have noted that Trump's post went live just before 5 p.m. ET on April 25, more than two hours before the second round kicked off. Rounds four, five, six and seven took place all day Saturday.

Sanders wasn't present in Green Bay and instead followed the draft with his family.

"Thank you, everybody, who came to support. I thank everybody out there, all the fans," he said on a Twitch livestream after he was drafted, adding, "Thank you, Browns organization, for giving me a chance."

"We know these decisions, things happen," Sanders continued, adding: "We can't control the uncontrollable. I knew the whole time God had me, so I wasn't really panicking because I understood it's about perfect timing."

Sanders' draft drop drew widespread attention. As one of the top players in the country in recent college football seasons, he had his number retired by the University of Colorado after two seasons of play.

On Saturday morning, he wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Another day another opportunity to get a chance to play the game I love. Thank you GOD #LEGENDARY."

What People Are Saying

Deion Sanders wrote on Twitter on March 13, 2018: "I love what the Browns have done this offseason but if I'm a young QB ain't no way I'm going to Cleveland. I would pull a ELI MANNING if possible."

Travis Hunter, a Heisman Trophy winner and Sanders' former teammate at Colorado, said: "Yes, sir! My boy to the Browns, man. Let's go."

Ed Krassenstein wrote on X on Saturday: "Yesterday Trump made a tweet criticizing the NFL for not drafting Shedeur Sanders in the first round of the NFL draft. Yesterday the NFL held the 2nd and 3rd rounds of the draft and still no team drafted him in either of those rounds. This is the Trump effect."

Andrew Javier wrote on X: "[Sanders] was drafted over a day later. So if anything, Trump hurt his draft stock."

What Happens Next

Sanders was the second quarterback picked by the Cleveland Browns in this year's draft, following the selection of Dillon Gabriel from the University of Oregon. The team has five quarterbacks on its roster.