CLEVELAND, Ohio – “Leave the kid alone.”
That’s what some people will say about Shedeur Sanders receiving a speeding ticket for driving 101 mph in a 60-mph zone on Interstate 71 in Strongsville earlier in the week.
Others then will compare Sanders to troubled Browns players of the past. A reader emailed me: “Does anyone remember Johnny Manziel?”
Can we take a deep breath?
Sanders is the most hyped fifth round draft pick in NFL history. The quarterback from Colorado had a $6 million NIL deal while playing for Colorado. His father is Deion Sanders, who also was his high school and later his college coach.
The Sanders family understands the power of social media. They have used it to build their brand. In the case of Deion Sanders, it helped him revive football programs at Jackson State and Colorado. Shedeur was his QB at both schools.
Shedeur is very active on his various social media accounts. He knows the power of his last name among football fans. His father was an NFL Hall of Fame defensive back. Now, Deion is a charismatic college coach.
FILE - Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, left, talks with quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) during a timeout in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Central Florida, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
Deion Sanders coaches his son Shedeur in high school and college, AP
The lesson of the draft
A projected first-round draft pick, Sanders fell all the way to the fifth round. I wrote a long story about how that happened.
Part of it was using his father as his agent, and they mishandled the pre-draft process. Part of it was the media buying into the frenzy around Sanders and rating him much higher than NFL evaluators.
Those who like Sanders believe he was a victim: The NFL was punishing him and his father for their perceived arrogance. The anti-Sanders camp looks for reasons to put him in the same category as Manziel (a Browns 2014 first round pick) and other college phenoms who flamed out quickly in the NFL.
The Browns selected him with the 144th pick. That was 50 selections after they grabbed Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel in the third round.
The Browns didn’t enter the draft looking to take a pair of QBs. But they considered Sanders too talented to pass up at that spot in the draft.
Not long after Shedeur was selected, a relieved Deion Sanders called Browns GM Andrew Berry to thank him for drafting his son. That draft should have been a lesson in humility for father and son.
What is the truth?
Sanders is 23 years old. In the new age of college sports, he’s taking a significant pay cut to play in the NFL. His 4-year Browns deal will be worth about $4.6 million total, most of it not guaranteed.
Most top college QBs are receiving what amounts to multi-million dollar deals while still in school.
Many young men with big money drive fancy cars … fast.
Myles Garrett had multiple speeding tickets early in his Browns career. He also was blessed to survive a one-car accident when his vehicle flipped over on a Medina County road in 2022.
As Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot suggested, it would be wise for Garrett to have a talk with Sanders. Both men could benefit from it.
The problem with driving 101 mph is not the speeding ticket. It’s the danger. Garrett knows how close he came to major injuries, even death.
Speed can kill.
Shedeur Sanders
Shedeur Sanders spoke to students at John Marshall High School campus.Marlin Helsel, special to cleveland.com
Want to be a role model?
Sanders has already spoken at John Marshall High School and to some other area youth groups. His heart seems to be in the right place in terms of wanting to connect with the community
A question for Sanders is this: “Would you suggest any of those young people drive 101 mph?”
We all know the answer to that, including Sanders.
Sanders has been a public figure for several years, dating back to high school. His social media accounts enhance that image. It has helped him secure lucrative endorsements and a large adoring fan base.
But with the media attention comes … well … attention.
Attention can be good or bad. That’s something Sanders needs to remember.
If you want to be the Browns starting QB, driving 101 mph is heading in the wrong direction. Fortunately, it wasn’t fatal on the road and not to his career.
Sanders made a strong positive impression in the Browns mini-camps and in his interaction with fans and the media. He comes across as a good person. His work ethic was praised. My sense is he wants to do the right things.
But the next time he gets behind the wheel, he should just ask himself, “Would I tell anyone to drive 101 mph?”
Then follow his own advice.
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