“I like it when people are Trump fans”: Donald Trump reveals his behind-the-scenes involvement in Shedeur Sanders’ shocking NFL Draft slide

The 2025 NFL Draft took an unexpected and controversial turn when former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders slipped all the way to the fifth round—despite projections placing him as a top-five pick. Among those publicly outraged was President Donald Trump, who took to social media to express disbelief at the decision-making of NFL owners.Donald Trump didn’t mince words during the draft, calling out team executives for what he believed was a baffling oversight."What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID?" Trump wrote in an April 25 post. "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."Trump later explained on The Hugh Hewitt Show that his defense of Shedeur was both personal and based on what he believes is untapped potential."His father is a big Trump fan, and I like it when people are Trump fans," Trump told Hewitt. "His father has said great things about me over the years. No. 2, genetics. He has good genes for a football player. I watched him play for a little bit, and I thought he was a really talented quarterback. I like his gene pool, and I like his talent. I really think he's going to do well. I just felt they treated him really badly."The Sanders family wasn’t shy about appreciating Trump’s public support. Shedeur’s brother, Shilo Sanders, called it “the coolest thing I've ever seen” during a recent podcast appearance, further signaling how personal the draft slide felt to the family.Meanwhile, Shilo, a standout safety, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. Their father, Deion Sanders, expressed his gratitude directly to Buccaneers GM Jason Licht during a Twitch stream, noting how thankful he was for the opportunity.Shedeur will now begin his NFL journey with the Cleveland Browns, joining a stacked quarterback room that includes Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Dillon Gabriel. Despite the surprising fall, the 2024 stat sheet speaks for itself—Shedeur racked up 4,134 passing yards and showed NFL-level arm talent and poise.Also Read: Shedeur Sanders can’t stop smiling as he sees his new Cleveland Browns locker for the first timeNow, with public backing from a former U.S. president and a chip on his shoulder, Sanders will look to prove the doubters wrong in his rookie season.