Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Jones On Shedeur Sanders Interest, Deion Sanders: NFL Draft Controversy

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders has yet to be selected in the 2025 NFL Draft through three rounds. This comes as a shock to most as Sanders was projected to be one of the first quarterbacks off the board.

Heading into the fourth round on Saturday, there have been five quarterbacks selected; Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe, and Dillon Gabriel.

It wasn’t a surprise to see Ward go No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans, and Jaxson Dart being taken over Sanders wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but Shough, Milroe, and Gabriel all being taken over him has shocked many.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke after the third round concluded on Friday about Shedeur Sanders.

Jerry Jones Speak About Character Of Shedeur, Deion Sanders

Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Deion Sanders (right) with his son Shedeur Sanders on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones Jones has a history with the Sanders family as Shedeur’s father, Deion Sanders played for Jones’ Cowboys in the 1990’s. Deion said this offseason that him and Jones spoke. There were rumors that Deion was a potential candidate to take the vacant Cowboys coaching job before they hired Brian Schottenheimer.

Jones was asked in his press conference about his thoughts on Shedeur Sanders still being available following the third round. With quarterback Dak Prescott on the roster, are the Cowboys interested in drafting Sanders?

“We thought and evaluated him (Shedeur Sanders) extremely high in this draft,” Jones said. “Now obviously, we have Dak (Prescott) as the highest paid player in the league.”

The Cowboys and quarterback Dak Prescott agreed to a four-year $240 million contract prior to the 2024 season. Prescott still has three years left on this deal. He missed the second half last season with a hamstring injury.

With the slide of Sanders in this draft, there are skeptics calling out potential character flaws with Sanders. Jones on the other hand has nothing but good things to say about character when it comes to the Sanders family.

Jerry Jones said the Cowboys evaluated Shedeur Sanders “extremely high,” but with Dak Prescott there’s not a fit. He said Sanders has “great character.”
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) April 26, 2025

“I know what the character is there. And boy, is it great character. It is an unbelievable, winning character for sports,” Jones said. “I don’t know how many scouts have visited with me about the character of the Sanders group, but they should because it is absolutely up with the best there has ever been in the sport.”

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Reactions To Sanders Going Undrafted Through Three Rounds

The second day of the NFL Draft presented by Bud Light at the Draft Theater Friday, April 25, 2025, outside of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin | William Glasheen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The story of this 2025 NFL Draft has unfortunately been a negative one, with the slide of Shedeur Sanders. NFL fans, analysts, and media members have voiced there reactions to this.

ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. had Sanders as his No. 5 overall player. He is astonished at what has happended and said it is "disgusting."

Mel Kiper with more: "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, [6'3", 230-pound frame], what is [Shedeur Sanders] lacking? Somebody's gonna have to explain that one to me." https://t.co/EycLLyHFE7 pic.twitter.com/0ogpzokqDj
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 26, 2025

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith also weighed in, showing displeasure.

This is a damn disgrace. How in the hell is @Shedeur not off the board, not drafted yet. Y’all still think this doesn’t have anything to do with teams hatin on @DeionSanders. This kid is a first rounder. In a different way, this is Kaepernick all over again…..being kept out. A…
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) April 26, 2025

Shedeur Sanders, while no doubt being disappointed in his fall in the draft, is looking at the situation with the glass half-full. Sanders has been streaming on his Twitch account the past two days.

"God don't make mistakes. I got faith in God no matter what."

Shedeur Sanders is in good spirits after not getting drafted on Day 2 🙏

(Via shilosanders/twitch) pic.twitter.com/h2cuFdxpMG
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 26, 2025