Deion Sanders entered the conversation recently.
The head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes expressed his admiration for ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. following some back-and-forth with Miami’s football coach Mario Cristobal.
“But I really appreciate my guy! You stood firm, completely confident in what you said and didn’t waver,” Sanders tweeted.
Sanders, aged 57, was commenting on a fiery post from Kiper that took aim at Cristobal’s remarks regarding the 2025 NFL Draft. Cristobal claimed to have consulted with potentially “a million people” about former Miami quarterback Come Ward, who was the top pick by the Titans. Interestingly, Kiper was not among those consulted.
“Mario Cristobal says he spoke with a million people about Come Ward, but didn’t talk to anyone ranked higher than Kiper (6th on my draft board). Quite the twist. And I didn’t mention Chedur either,” Kiper noted.
Further fueling the exchange, Kiper’s enthusiasm for the 23-year-old Chedur was evident in his discussions leading up to the NFL Draft. Despite a drop to the fifth round, where he was selected 144th overall by the Browns, Kiper’s attention remained focused on Chedur, especially after Sanders’ son went early in the first round, with the Giants choosing QB Jackson Dart at No. 25.
“I honestly expected he’d be taken before Chedur. [coach Brian] Daboll wants mobility,” Kiper said back then.
After the draft, Kiper seemed oblivious to online debates surrounding his commentary, which leaned heavily on Chedur’s prospects.
“I hadn’t even heard about that,” Kiper mentioned during “The Adam Schefter Podcast” in late April. “I was told by [ESPN’s vice president and executive producer] Seth Markman that I was trending on Twitter. I wasn’t sure what was said, but I was told it wasn’t exactly positive, yet I was trending more than Chedur Sanders.”
Meanwhile, after the draft, the Browns headed into spring practice with five quarterbacks, including newcomers like Dillon Gabriel and former Steelers first-rounder Kenny Pickett. The team anticipates the return of starter Deshaun Watson, who’s dealing with an Achilles injury, but his availability for 2025 remains uncertain.
“Browns fans have been craving success for ages, it really seems,” Chedur shared recently. “I’m determined to turn that around and give them what they’ve been wanting.”
Chedur is set to see playing time during preseason, leading up to the Browns’ season opener on September 7 against AFC North rival Cincinnati.
