Let’s begin with the undeniable truth that not every NFL draft provides a generational quarterback.
Generationally speaking, of course.
Joe Burrow isn’t generational. Nor is Trevor Lawrence or Caleb Williams or any other quarterback not named Patrick Mahomes.
Now that we’ve cleared that up, we can stop the generational hype of Shedeur Sanders.
He’s an uber-talented thrower, a player who – despite the challenges of playing for two college teams in transition – put up ridiculous numbers and consistently showed an ability to carry a team.
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He’s worthy of the first overall pick in April’s NFL draft, and the Tennessee Titans would be foolish to not select him.
But he’s not generational, not a can’t-miss, plug-and-play, stand back and watch him cook player. And here’s a dirty draft secret: no one is.
Mahomes wasn’t, and Tom Brady sure as heck wasn’t, either. Josh Allen was a project, and so was Lamar Jackson — who’s closing in on his third MVP award in six seasons.
But for the next three months, you’ll hear draft analysts and former coaches and general mangers on television all proclaim Sanders is that generational player. Sanders and his dad, Colorado coach Deion Sanders, will say it, too.
Shedeur threw for more than 14,000 yards at Jackson State and Colorado, and had a sparkling TD/INT ratio of 134/27. His resume is nearly flawless.
So if/when the Titans select Sanders No.1 overall, you better believe they’ll say generational, too. And here’s dirty secret No. 2 of the NFL draft: a generational tag provides an easy out for NFL personnel — just in case you blow the pick.
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Because “everyone” would’ve drafted (insert generational quarterback). It’s a no-brainer.
This is no joke, everyone. Just last week, during a season postmortem press conference, Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker told reporters the club won’t pass on a “generational talent.”
If you’re Team Sanders, you want that generational hype. You need that generational hype.
Not because it will bring more NFL contract money (the first round is slotted money), but because it brings more security, more flexibility, to the early years of Shedeur’s NFL career — which leads to the second, generational money, contract.
You can’t cut or trade or bench a generational quarterback. Losing games can’t be his fault, and must be the club continuing to struggle to provide support to the generational quarterback.
Case in point: Lawrence, who just finished his fourth season in the NFL, and has 83 total touchdowns and 68 turnovers.
In 60 career games.
He’ll begin his fifth season in the league with his third coach, and all the Jacksonville Jaguars have to show for it is one playoff win in an outlier 2022 season. And a $275 million second contract Lawrence signed last summer.
Want to know why Deion Sanders is adamant about pulling an “Eli” if the whole draft thing doesn’t work out? Because a generational quarterback shouldn’t be forced to play for generationally poor performing NFL franchise.
By threatening to sit out if the right team doesn’t select Shedeur – like Eli Manning and his dad, Archie, threatened to do in 2004 before the Chargers relented and made a trade with the Giants – Deion is attempting to circumvent the system and strong-arm even more security for his son.
Manning won two Super Bowls with the Giants, and could be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, in his first year eligible. Precedent is clearly there.
So yeah, Deion (and Shedeur) want their generational cake ― and want to eat it, too.
Look, this is the lay of the land now. It’s a generational world, and we’re all living in it.
In the history of the NFL draft, there have been four quarterbacks selected No.1 overall that have been enshrined in Canton: Terry Bradshaw, John Elway, Troy Aikman and Peyton Manning.
I’m no mathematician, but the odds of the latest “generational” quarterback in the NFL draft developing into a Hall of Famer and living up to the hype are slim at best.
Generationally speaking, of course.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.
