Shedeur Sanders was the name on everybody’s lips in the first round of the NFL Draft — everybody except commissioner Roger Goodell, who was announcing the picks.

As the Colorado quarterback fell past potential landing spots with the New Orleans Saints at No.9 and the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 21st pick, there was a feeding frenzy of opinions regarding the slide.

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Sanders’ combine appearance led to questions over his attitude[/caption]

Once touted as a top-three pick, pre-draft talk suggested that perceived character flaws and concerns over Hall of Fame father Deion’s influence could see Sanders fall out of the first round.

It proved correct and while some did a victory lap, others rushed to defend the 23-year-old prospect.

ESPN’s Louis Riddick boldly claimed that the Buffaloes star, who must the first player to have his number retired in college and not go in the first 32 picks, could still have a Hall of Fame career.

“If he has a Drew Brees, Tom Brady type career, which he is definitely capable of, there’s gonna be a lot of revisionist history on here,” he began.

“There’s gonna be a lot of case studies on, ‘Why did things go bad for him?’

“Was it because he was ‘cocky’? Was it because of his dad? Was it because he was too brash? All the other nonsense that you hear.

“It isn’t because of how he plays the game.”

The truth is probably all of the above to a certain extent, depending on which team you ask.

Whether their fears are proved correct remains to be seen but fans slammed Riddick for his bold take.

“The coverage tonight was embarrassing. They spent 85% of the night talking about and cutting to Shedeur. Only to have him not selected,” one viewer wrote on X.

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Sanders slipped out of the first round entirely[/caption]

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“I don’t wish him to fall in the draft but this coverage was super annoying! It would appear the NFL coaches and GMs did not like him as a first rounder…”

“What an idiot,” added another.

“I don’t get it. So every single team made a mistake by not drafting him ? They ALL don’t know what they’re doing ? Stop the madness,” a third said.

“He could also be Johnny Manziel,” joked a fourth after the Cleveland Browns’ infamous quarterback bust.

Sanders’ anxious wait to see where his NFL career will begin now continues into Friday.

“We all didn’t expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything possible, everything possible,” he said from a customized draft room.

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“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. Tomorrow’s the day. We going to be happy regardless. Legendary.”

It is hard to imagine it taking much longer for a team to make a move in a league where QB demand always exceeds supply.

The first pick of the second round belongs to the Browns, which also owns the 36th selection.

The New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders will also be keeping an eye on proceedings with gaps to fill and early day two selections.

Jalen Milton and Tyler Shough are other names to watch as Sanders faces the prospect of going from a potential No.1 pick to the fifth quarterback off the board in a matter of months.

The New York Giants traded back into the first round to nab Jaxson Dart on Thursday.

As he alluded to after the first round, Sanders now has a giant chip on his shoulder.

Brady, of course, had the same after falling to the sixth round in possibly the greatest draft blunder of all time for 31 teams.

The Raiders own the 36th pick and have Geno Smith under contract and under center.

Brady may decide that it is time to bring a man he has been mentoring for years under his wing.

A little competition is a good thing after all, just ask the GOAT.

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