Ice Cube 'Bothered' Las Vegas Raiders Didn't Draft Shedeur Sanders

Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Long-time Las Vegas Raiders fan Ice Cube was not happy that his team passed on Sanders.

Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Recording artist Ice Cube performs on field before game two between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees in the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the story of the 2025 NFL Draft, but not for the right reasons. Sanders, a projected first or early second round pick, fell all the way down to the fifth round before being selected by the Cleveland Browns. 

Over and over again, Sanders got passed up on by all 32 teams, including teams that were in need of a quarterback. One team that some thought would take a chance on Sanders were the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders made a trade this offseason for former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith. Smith while being a solid starting quarterback, will be turning 35 years old this season. Despite this, the Raiders did not take Sanders and instead waited until the sixth round, where they drafted quarterback Cam Miller of North Dakota State. 

Famous rapper and long-time Raiders fan Ice Cube was did not like that his team passed up on Shedeur. 

Ice Cube Bothered By Raiders Passing On Shedeur Sanders

May 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) throws a pass during rookie minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Ice Cube went on the Skip Bayless Show last week where he was asked about the Raiders passing up on Shedeur Sanders. “Did it bother you at all?” Bayless asked Ice Cube. 

“It did bother me, I wanted him. But I understand, you know, I could see from a coach’s point of view why not to take him,” Ice Cube said. “You take him, you don’t have a good season or two, Deion (Sanders) is getting your job. He’s definitely not a fifth round pick.”

🔥 Shedeur & Draft. Ice Cube on Raiders Not Drafting #12

"It did bother me. I wanted him. He's definitely not a 5th round pick. You take him, you don't have a good season or two Deion's getting your job"

📽️ @SkipBaylessShow pic.twitter.com/y6Th8A0WfP

— JaKi 🇺🇸 (@JaKiTruth) May 18, 2025

Ice Cube brought up the theory that many have speculated. If the coach of a team wasn’t able to make it work with Shedeur, that organization could look to replace them with Shedeur's dad and Colorado coach, Deion Sanders. 

Deion Sanders was in coaching rumors for the vacant Dallas Cowboys job this offseason before he returned to Colorado with a contract extension. If Colorado has another good season, the “Coach Prime to the NFL” rumors will start once again. 

MORE: Cleveland Browns Offensive Lineman Joel Bitonio Reveals Impression Of Shedeur Sanders

MORE: Cleveland Browns Trade Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett To Keep Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel?

MORE: Colorado Buffaloes, Deion Sanders Offer 4-Star Recruit Committed To Oklahoma Sooners

A Chance For Shedeur Sanders To Start For Browns In 2025-2026 Season?

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) watches quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during day two of NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Shedeur Sanders will have a better opportunity to start this season than most fifth round rookie quarterbacks. The Browns quarterback room consists of the rookie Shedeur Sanders, third round rookie Dillon Gabriel, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Deshaun Watson. 

Flacco and Pickett were each backups last season and Deshaun Watson is coming off of a torn achilles injury. It doesn’t appear that any of them are the future for the franchise, leaving the door open for one of the rookies. 

The battle between Sanders and Gabriel throughout training camp and preseaosn will be one of the biggest stories in the entire league until the season kicks off in Week One. The Browns first game is vs. the Cincinnati Bengals on September 7.

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