ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. was visibly frustrated on-air during the NFL draft as former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders slid to the fifth round.
One fan was even more distraught and has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the NFL for allowing the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders to fall in the draft.
The plaintiff, identified only as “John Doe” in the suit, claimed the draft caused “frustration, disappointment, and psychological harm as a fan.”
The fan filed the suit in a Georgia district court on Thursday and alleged that NFL owners colluded against Sanders in a “conspiracy” that “may have been influenced by the racial discrimination.”
Sanders, who is Black, was a highly touted prospect who played college football at Jackson State and Colorado. Despite boasting promising statistics, the signal-caller’s draft stock fell this offseason as league insiders reported concerns about his athleticism and character in interviews.
The plaintiff identified himself as a Colorado football fan who has closely followed the team since Deion Sanders became the Buffaloes’ coach in 2023.
Though he was initially projected to be a first- or second-round pick, Sanders was not selected until the Cleveland Browns took him in the fifth round.
The NFL did not respond to a request for comment.
Sanders was the second quarterback selected by the Browns in last month’s draft after Oregon passer Dillon Gabriel.
Since the draft, Sanders’ No. 12 jersey has become one of the NFL’s top sellers among rookies, according to Fanatics.
Gabriel, Sanders and the rest of Cleveland’s rookies are slated to report to minicamp on Friday.
• Liam Griffin can be reached at lgriffin@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.