If there is anyone who can relate to Shedeur Sanders slipping to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft it is Tom Brady. Arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, Brady did not get selected until the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft when the New England Patriots finally picked him.
Brady went on to win seven Super Bowls, including five Super Bowl MVP awards. He recently shared his message to Shedeur Sanders, who went from being a projected first-round pick to getting selected No. 144 overall.
“I actually texted Shedeur, because I know him very well. And I said, ‘Dude, like, whatever happens, wherever you go, that’s your first day,’” [Tom Brady explained](https://x.com/NFL_DovKleiman/status/1919908806420570608). “Day 2 matters more than the draft. I was 199, so who can speak on it better than me, like what that really means.”
Brady played with a chip on his shoulder throughout his NFL career, and he would like to see Shedeur Sanders do the same.
“Use it as motivation,” Brady said. “You’re going to get your chances. Go take advantage of it.”
Tom Brady is a partial owner of the Las Vegas Raiders -- a franchise that had the opportunity to draft Shedeur Sanders several times and chose not to. However, he insists that he was not involved in that decision.
“I wasn’t a part of any evaluation process," he said.
Whether he did or did not play a role in the Raiders passing on Sanders, Brady says he is still a believer in the former Colorado quarterback.
The son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, Shedeur Sanders threw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns his last season at Colorado. He also rushed for four scores.
NFL Draft analysts were split on Sanders ahead of the draft, with some labeling him as talented enough to be a high first-round pick. Others argued that the hype around Sanders did not match his ability.
Ultimately, he fell to the fifth round, despite Mel Kiper Jr. and others [campaigning for him to be drafted much sooner](https://www.pennlive.com/steelers/2025/04/mel-kiper-jr-doesnt-understand-steelers-passing-on-shedeur-sanders.html).