Former sports analyst Jemele Hill disputed comparisons between quarterback Shedeur Sanders' drop in the recent NFL Draft and the circumstances surrounding Colin Kaepernick's departure from the league. Sanders, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, was selected in the fifth round despite earlier projections.
Hill, known for her past public criticism of President Donald Trump that led to her exit from ESPN, weighed in on Sanders' draft position during a recent interview.
Speaking with CNN Anchor Laura Coates, Hill stated her view that race was not a factor in Sanders' draft slide. She suggested the league did not evaluate him as a top-tier talent or a definite first-round pick.
Hill indicated that the draft process involves evaluations of a player's character, including their "football character." Reports suggesting Sanders may have intentionally performed poorly in interviews with certain teams could have circulated among league personnel.
Such reports, if accurate, would reflect negatively on a player. Hill explained that if teams already view a player as having borderline talent, adding perceived behavioral issues during the draft process would heavily influence their draft stock.
She directly contrasted Sanders' situation with that of Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick had already achieved success in the league, including reaching a Super Bowl, before his career ended following his activism against racial injustice.
Shedeur Sanders' reported pre-draft interactions, including a reported friction with the Giants, appeared to play a role in team considerations.
Hill concluded her remarks by differentiating the two cases.
“And, no, we can’t compare it to Colin Kaepernick. Here’s a man who lost his career when he had already been to a Super Bowl and done a lot as a quarterback, and then he had his career taken away from him because he made the mistake of actually standing up for Black people.”
