Broncos coach Sean Payton issues warning about Shedeur Sanders after NFL Draft fall: 'Beware'

Denver Broncos caput manager Sean Payton ne'er needed a backmost entering the 2025 NFL Draft, which is ever a bully spot to beryllium in. 

Bo Nix, the team’s first-round draught prime successful 2024, showed tremendous committedness arsenic a rookie, helping pb Denver into the playoffs retired of a pugnacious AFC West division. 

But that didn’t mean Payton wasn’t evaluating the quarterbacks disposable successful this year’s draught class, particularly Shedeur Sanders, who played down the roadworthy successful Boulder for the Colorado Buffaloes the past 2 seasons. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Denver Broncos caput manager Sean Payton walks disconnected the tract pursuing an NFL shot crippled against the Cincinnati Bengals successful Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024.  (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Sanders took implicit the NFL Draft storylines, arsenic helium slipped into the 5th circular earlier the Cleveland Browns yet took him with the No. 144 pick. Due to the unexpected autumn down the draught board, Payton issued a informing to NFL teams astir the imaginable helium had gotten to cognize truly well. 

"I saw [Shedeur] erstwhile helium was successful inferior high, and past I saw him successful precocious school, and past I saw him erstwhile helium was a sophomore successful precocious schoolhouse erstwhile they were connected their mode to Florida," Payton said, via ESPN. "He's going to, similar there'll beryllium this spot connected his shoulder, and beware due to the fact that this feline is going to play successful this league."

Payton was among the galore coaches who attended Colorado’s pro day, or, arsenic Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders called it, "We Ain’t Hard to Find Showcase."

ESPN STAR OFFERS EXPLANATION FOLLOWING SHEDEUR SANDERS NFL DRAFT TUMBLE

Payton came distant precise impressed with what Sanders had enactment retired connected the signifier field. 

"We sat there. I watched close down him throwing. . . . He had an outstanding pro day," helium explained. "I deliberation we each are surprised, and yet the endowment – beatified cow, if you’re a squad that needs a quarterback."

Now, Payton and the elder Sanders person a beardown relationship, which was showcased connected the latter’s Instagram erstwhile helium posted a representation of the 2 of them astatine the pro time unneurotic smiling. 

Colorado Buffaloes backmost Shedeur Sanders (2) celebrates aft defeating the Arizona State Sun Devils astatine Mountain America Stadium, Home of the ASU Sun Devils. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA Today Sports)

But Payton wasn’t conscionable amazed due to the fact that helium knows the Sanders household well. Many others couldn’t judge helium had slipped that far, to the constituent wherever Browns GM Andrew Berry admitted they had taken him due to the fact that helium had been the champion imaginable disposable astatine "the astir important position."

"It’s surprising. We evaluated him," New England Patriots enforcement vice president of subordinate unit Eliot Wolf said aft Day 2, via ESPN. "I had the accidental to ticker him play against Oklahoma State this year. . . . It was absorbing to spot that he’s inactive available, and I’m definite there’s going to beryllium a acceptable for him tomorrow."

Jerry Jones, the Dallas Cowboys proprietor who knows Deion Sanders precise well, fixed his clip with the organization, added: "I watched 2 oregon 3 ballgames with [Shedeur]. So, with my knowledge, I cognize wherever the quality is there, and boy, it is large character. It is an unbelievable competitory winning quality for sports. OK? And truthful I tin archer you that."

Shedeur Sanders admitted this "wasn’t the plan," particularly considering the first-round grades galore had fixed him. And portion determination apt won’t beryllium anyone giving a pinpoint reply arsenic to wherefore helium slipped down the draught board, reports person travel retired that helium had atrocious meetings successful the pre-draft process with aggregate teams, and possibly they were a factor. 

Denver Broncos caput manager Sean Payton walks retired the passageway earlier the crippled against the New Orleans Saints astatine Caesars Superdome. (Stephen Lew-Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Either way, Sanders celebrated astatine his location successful Texas erstwhile the Browns yet took his sanction retired of the draught pool. He’s acceptable to spell to enactment successful a crowded quarterbacks room, which includes chap NFL Draftee Dillon Gabriel, whom Cleveland took successful the 3rd circular implicit Sanders, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Deshaun Watson, though his presumption for 2025 is up successful the aerial owed to injury. 

"The clip that we spent with Shedeur and what he’s done passim his assemblage vocation is impressive," Berry said. "He's an awesome young man. He's a truly bully quarterback."

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.