Sunday Newsletter: Shedeur Sanders, prank calls, and way-too-early mock drafts

Lots to discuss here... Give your thoughts!

May 04, 2025

I want to give free subscribers at least something still. Podcast episodes are still free, mock drafts will be free at least once a month once the season starts (I’m not doing 2026 NFL Draft mocks off of players I haven’t watched yet), and this newsletter is something I am adding to the rotation.

It will be bi-weekly (Sunday and Wednesday).

It’s hard to keep tabs on all of the NFL Draft news that floats around in the ether, so I want to try to gather as much of it as I can and at least provide a bit of insight into it. So let’s get right to it.

I give my thoughts on three topics that have dominated the news this past week: Shedeur Sanders, prank calls, and way-too-early mock drafts. You can find a list of other aggregated content around the league and some content from Daft on Draft that you may have missed to wrap up the newsletter.

Enjoy!

Let’s just get all of the Shedeur Sanders stuff out of the way first

We get it. The name carries a lot of weight. And no matter how highly I even thought of the player, he was a fifth round pick. Yet a fifth round pick continues to dominate the news cycle and even leads all rookies drafted in jersey sales.

Mel Kiper ranted about it and all!

So, let’s just wrap it all up. It sounds like the Browns were trying from the very start of Day 3 to land Sanders. Their leadership spoke to the media and stated they felt like the value of Sanders and the position he plays was too good to pass up at that point in the draft.

Sanders could have done things differently. He could have approached the cycle like a projected Day 3 pick and not a projected first rounder. He interviewed poorly and approached interviews like he were the one doing the interviewing. This without a doubt played a factor in why he dropped.

Interestingly, Sanders lands in THAT room. Not only did the Browns draft Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel two rounds earlier, but the only veterans in the locker room are 40-year-old Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. The Browns have no pre-conceived notion on who will win that job. Sanders very well could despite his status as a mid-Day 3 pick.

The Browns could be landing the talent of Sanders, but now humbled. He’s already in the city and making waves in the community. It’s a down year for the Browns, and even they know it. Why not let the two young guys see the field for the majority of the time, then?

Buckle up, the media coverage is far from over.

NFL Draft prank calls are lame

It wasn’t just Sanders, although he got the most attention. Abdul Carter, Mason Graham, Ashton Jeanty, Tyler Warren, and more all got prank called on draft day.

I don’t know if there is a way the NFL can prevent it. Going back to landlines isn’t realistic, and short of the NFL issuing phones for every draft-eligible prospect (also unrealistic), there will always be ways for numbers to get leaked.

But it sucks. And it’s lame. Leave it to some frat boys drunk off of shame and High Noons because they’re too intolerant for the real stuff to attempt to derail the most important day/weekend for these players. Call me a boomer, call me soft. I don’t care.

This stuff is weak.

Don’t get overwhelmed by way-too-early mock drafts

This past cycle, Sanders and Texas QB Quinn Ewers were being mocked religiously in the top-10. They both went on Day 3. Cam Ward was hard to find in first round mock drafts, and Armand Membou was being mocked Day 3.

Don’t put too much stock into these 2026 NFL mock drafts this early.

These are watchlists. Use early mock drafts as watch lists. There are players every year who are mocked way too high and end up getting drafted late. If your team is mocked a player 360 days before next year’s draft, use that as an opportunity to look more into the player and make a value judgement for yourself.

Or if you just want to casually follow along, that is fine too! Keep tabs on the positions that experts are seeing as weaknesses for your team. Keep a list of each player they’ve been mocked. You can learn some stuff from this too.

Just don’t take them to heart. Mock drafts are fun and drive revenue in an SEO-driven industry. That’s why people do them this early. But that’s about the only reason.

Random NFL Draft tidbits

A third round bidding war for Lions WR Isaac TeSlaa? (The Athletic)
Former Florida State legend medically retires after rookie season (via X)
Exec: Abdul Carter “more like Micah Parsons than people realize” (The Athletic)
Son of Randy Moss gets minicamp invite with Pops’ old team (via Jordan Schultz)
Jalen Milroe is receiving high praise from Seahawks camp (The Athletic)
NFL Draft classes ranked by age: Dolphins, Cowboys, Browns the youngest (via Daniel Griffis)
Quinn Ewers motivated by slide from top recruit in history to seventh round pick (ESPN)

Daft on Draft content you may have missed

So I’ve started streaming. There have been some technical difficulties, but we are finding our way! I’ve been playing through a CFB25 dynasty with Texas State. Thus far, I am 3-0, including a come-from-behind win against No. 10 Missouri.

You can either tune in on YouTube or Twitch if you are interested in that!

Here is other content that has gone up on the site this past week: