With the NFL Scouting Combine behind us, a flurry of mock drafts from the industry’s top analysts has been released, and NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein has one of the more eye-catching ones, with quarterback Shedeur Sanders nearly falling out of the first round at No.29 overall.
While it’s normal for draft prospects to be picked apart by scouts, team executives, and the media during the pre-draft process, the Las Vegas Raiders Maxx Crosby feels a “smear campaign” has been launched against Sanders.
Maxx Crosby Tears Into Media For Launching Defaming Campaigns Against Sheduer Sanders
Following the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, it was reported by NFL insider Josina Anderson that a quarterbacks coach from a team with a “top-seven pick” had been talking negatively about Sanders. According to Anderson, the coach had been openly spreading the word that Sanders came across as “brash” and “arrogant” in his Combine interview with the team.
Additionally, there have been multiple reports about Sanders’ attitude and unprofessional approach to meetings.
However, Crossby feels it has nothing to do with Sanders and is just part of the “smear” campaign launched against the son of Deion Sanders. The Raiders defensive end argues a similar campaign was launched against C.J. Stroud, who nonetheless went on to be picked No.2 overall by the Houston Texans.
“I feel like every year, there’s always one quarterback who’s highly talented all year, then all of a sudden you have smear reports coming out left and right about him. It was C.J. Stroud a couple of years ago, now you see it with Shedeur. I could’ve predicted it two years ago that this would happen,” he said on his The Rush With Maxx Crosby show.
Crosby’s Raiders are in desperate need of a quarterback and have been projected to trade up for Sanders in PFSN’s March 1 mock draft by Jacob Infante.
Infante predicts the Raiders will trade up with the Tennessee Titans in exchange for their No. 6, No. 37, a 2026 first-round pick, a 2026 third-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick.
“The marriage of Shedeur Sanders and the Las Vegas Raiders feels too good to be true. With Las Vegas in desperate need of an answer at quarterback, they move up a few spots to find their quarterback of the future.
Sanders is an accurate passer who stays tough in the pocket and delivers his throws with a sense of touch down the field. Having a head coach like Pete Carroll and a superstar target like Brock Bowers would help the Colorado star mask his shortcomings and emphasize his strengths.”
Nonetheless, the NFL teams will keep digging into Sanders at Colorado’s Pro Day, private workouts, and more sit-downs as the draft nears. The buzz around this top prospect makes him one of the most electric—and divisive—talents in draft history. Which team will bet that his upside trumps any red flags?