Texas Longhorns WR Responds to 'Selfish Diva' Criticisms

Soon-to-be former Texas Longhorns wide receiver Isaiah Bond is facing some harsh criticism as he prepares for the 2025 NFL Draft later this month.

During a recent appearance on the Nightcap podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, Bond was presented with some comments that an anonymous NFL scout had to say about him ahead of the draft.

Sharpe read off the criticisms from the anonymous NFL scout, which included calling Bond "selfish" and "a diva."

"This is his exact quote, Isaiah, I'm not ad-libbing and I'm not adding, I'm not taking anything out," Sharpe said of the anonymous scout. "This is what he said, 'Prototypical, what you would think of in a wide receiver. Just generic, boilerplate, selfish, diva, wide receiver.' What is your response?"

Feb 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Texas wideout Isaiah Bond (WO05) answers questions at a press conference during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephanie Amador Blondet-Imagn Images | Stephanie Amador Blondet-Imagn Images

Bond answered like a true pro.

"My response to that is, I mean, this season, I did suffer a high-ankle sprain, grade 3," Bond said. "And I mean, when others told me to sit it down and shut it down, I chose to stay and fight with my teammates and win a national championship."

As a former receiver himself, Johnson chimed in, saying that the greatest wideouts have all had some sort of diva-like attitude.

"All the receivers, all the great ones, just like that. You got to be a little selfish, yeah?"Johnson said. "Everybody got a little diva in them. I'm not even sure where the word came from, but all the great ones had that same divish in them."

. @isaiahbond_ responds to anonymous NFL scout that called him a “selfish diva” wide receiver@ShannonSharpe @ochocinco @ShayShayMedia_ pic.twitter.com/GWz836PbUo
— Nightcap (@NightcapShow_) April 3, 2025

He then extended some kind words of encouragement to Bond.

"Man, don't pay none of that stuff no mind," Johnson told Bond. "Keep your head down, keep doing what you're doing. You're gonna be all right. Hey listen, one thing about it, I don't care where you go in the draft, it ain't where you go, it's what you do once you get there."

After transferring to Texas from Alabama, Bond didn't have the season many expected due to the lingering ankle injury. He was limited down the stretch, having just one catch for 22 yards in the SEC Championship before sitting out the first round of the College Football Playoff against Clemson.

He returned for the Peach Bowl against Arizona State but didn't catch a pass. Then in the loss to Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl, Bond had just one catch for eight yards. He finished the year with 34 catches for 540 yards and five touchdowns along with four carries for 98 yards and a touchdown.

Bond will now look toward the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay on April 24.