Deion Sanders insisted at Colorado's pro day that Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders should go 1-2 in the NFL draft. He was talking about selections, not rounds.
But after Hunter went second overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Shedeur Sanders' name wasn't called at all Thursday night.
Quarterback-needy teams such as the Raiders, Saints, Jets and Giants — twice — bypassed the record-setting Buffaloes quarterback. The Giants sidestepped Sanders at No. 3 and again at No. 25 after trading back into the first round and instead selected Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart in what was the biggest surprise of Round 1.
Many predicted the Giants would select Sanders one pick after Hunter and two picks after Miami QB Cam Ward went to the Tennessee Titans, but as the night wore on, it brought memories of the 2005 NFL draft when Cal QB Aaron Rodgers and Utah QB Alex Smith were vying for the 49ers' top overall selection. The Niners chose Smith and Rodgers slipped all the way down to the Green Bay Packers at No. 24.
Only, Sanders slid all the way out of Round 1.
“We all didn’t expect this of course, but I feel like with God, anything’s possible, everything’s possible,” Sanders said in a video posted on YouTube on Thursday night. “I don’t think this happened for no reason. All this is, is of course fuel to the fire. Under no circumstance, we all know this shouldn’t have happened, but we understand we’re on to bigger and better things. Tomorrow’s the day. We’re going to be happy regardless.”
Concerns about Sanders’ arm strength became an issue in recent weeks, although his father, who's a Pro Football Hall of Famer and coached his son at Jackson State and Colorado, laughed at that notion. In 50 collegiate games, Shedeur Sanders threw for 14,347 yards, with 134 touchdowns and 27 interceptions. He completed 70.1% of his passes and ran for 17 more scores. But he had a tendency to hold on to the ball too long and took an FBS-high 94 sacks over the last two seasons.
Bypassing on-the-field workouts at the NFL scouting combine and the Big 12 pro day only added to the doubts that suddenly swirled around his son, and Coach Prime wondered earlier this month how his son’s stock could have slipped when he hasn’t thrown an interception since the Alamo Bowl.
“After 4,000-some yards, all of a sudden his arm is weak,” Deion Sanders cracked at Colorado's pro day that was officially called the “We Ain't Hard 2 Find Showcase. “I don’t know when his arm got weak. But he protects the ball. He had the highest completion percentage in college football this past year. He’s the pillar of consistency."
Shedeur Sanders, whose jersey was retired along with Hunter's at Colorado's spring game, is the biggest name left on the draft board for Round 2 Friday, where teams that still need a QB could move up to select the passer who helped engineer Colorado's turnaround from a one-win debacle before his arrival to a 9-4 mark in 2024.
The strength of this year's draft is in the middle rounds and Sanders finds himself in some good company among prospects set to make immediate impacts — and will likely be fueled by being first-round snubs.
Other players who could go early in the second round:
At 6-foot-2 and 203 pounds, the fluid Johnson brings size along with ball skills to the position to match up with the NFL’s bigger receivers. Although he had a pair of pick-6s last season and three in college, a turf-toe injury limited him to six games last season.
The massive (6-foot-3, 227 pounds) safety who had 88 tackles and four interceptions last season has a mix of ball skills and speed that makes him an ideal player close to the action be it at strong safety, big nickel or linebacker. He ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at the combine.
Burden is 6-foot and 205 pounds and an athletic slot receiver who can also make plays down the field. He had 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023. He clocked a 4.41-second 40-yard dash.
Henderson brings elite speed to the ground game, top-notch hands to the passing game and top skills in pass protection, making him a three-down back right away in the NFL. He had two 1,000-yard seasons and another just shy of 1,000 and didn't fumble in his last three seasons.
Green is a gifted pass rusher who is also stout against the run, and he burst onto the scene with a great game against Ohio State in September and led the FBS with 17 sacks in 2024.
Ezeiruaku collected 16½ sacks last season and sports an array of moves to go with his bull rush ability. In a dozen games, Ezeiruaku also recorded 80 tackles, 20½ of them for a loss, and forced three fumbles.
Scourton had 10 sacks for Purdue in 2023 before transferring to play for the Aggies.
At 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds, Taylor is a polished route runner who brings a large catch radius to the offense.
Judkins (6-foot, 218 pounds) scored 45 touchdowns in college and is known for his ferocious stiff-arm and ability to run through defenders.
Aside from Travis Hunter, Watts was the only consensus All-American in both 2023 and '24. Watts had 14 pass breakups and two forced fumbles over that span.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
FILE - Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) throws a pass against Central Florida during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Uganda’s presidential election was plagued by widespread delays Thursday in addition to a days-long internet shutdown that has been criticized as an anti-democratic tactic in a country where the president has held office since 1986.
Some polling stations remained closed for up to four hours after the scheduled 7 a.m. start time due to “technical challenges," according to the nation's electoral commission, which asked polling officers to use paper registration records to ensure the difficulties did not “disenfranchise any voter.”
President Yoweri Museveni, 81, faces seven other candidates, including Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-politician best known as Bobi Wine, who is calling for political change.
The East African country of roughly 45 million people has 21.6 million registered voters. Polls were expected to close at 4 p.m., but voting was extended one hour until 5 p.m. local time. Results are constitutionally required to be announced in 48 hours.
In the morning, impatient crowds gathered outside polling stations expressing concerns over the delays. Umaru Mutyaba, a polling agent for a parliamentary candidate, said it was “frustrating” to be waiting outside a station in the capital Kampala.
“We can’t be standing here waiting to vote as if we have nothing else to do," he said.
Wine, the candidate, alleged electoral fraud, noting that biometric voter identification machines were not working at polling places and claiming that there was “ballot stuffing.”
Wine wrote in a post on X that his party's leaders had been arrested. “Many of our polling agents and supervisors abducted, and others chased off polling stations,” the post said.
Museveni told journalists he was notified that biometric machines weren't working at some stations and that he supported the electoral body's decision to revert to paper registration records. He did not comment on allegations of fraud.
Ssemujju Nganda, a prominent opposition figure and lawmaker seeking reelection in Kira municipality, told The Associated Press he had been waiting in line to vote for three hours.
Nganda said the delays likely would lead to apathy and low turnout in urban areas where the opposition has substantial support. "It’s going to be chaos,” he said.
Nicholas Sengoba, an independent analyst and newspaper columnist, said delays to the start of voting in urban, opposition areas favored the ruling party.
Emmanuel Tusiime, a young man who was among dozens prevented from entering a polling station in Kampala past closing time said the officials had prevented him from participating.
“My vote has not been counted, and, as you can see, I am not alone," he said he was left feeling “very disappointed.”
Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.
Museveni has served the third-longest term of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. The aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Museveni and Wine are reprising their rivalry from the previous election in 2021, when Wine appealed to mostly young people in urban areas. With voter turnout of 59%, Wine secured 35% of the ballots against Museveni’s 58%, the president’s smallest vote share since his first electoral campaign three decades ago.
The lead-up to Thursday's election produced concerns about transparency, the possibility of hereditary rule, military interference and possible vote tampering.
Uganda's internet was shut down Tuesday by the government communications agency, which cited misinformation, electoral fraud and incitement of violence. The shutdown has affected the public and disrupted critical sectors such as banking.
There has been heavy security leading up to voting, including military units deployed on the streets this week.
Amnesty International said security forces are engaging in a “brutal campaign of repression,” citing a Nov. 28 opposition rally in eastern Uganda where the military blocked exits and opened fire on supporters, killing one person.
Museveni urged voters to come out in large numbers during his final rally Tuesday.
“You go and vote, anybody who tries to interfere with your freedom will be crushed. I am telling you this. We are ready to put an end to this indiscipline,” he said.
The national electoral commission chairperson, Simon Byabakama, urged tolerance among Ugandans as they vote.
“Let us keep the peace that we have,” Byabakama said late Wednesday. “Let us be civil. Let us be courteous. Let’s be tolerant. Even if you know that this person does not support (your) candidate, please give him or her room or opportunity to go and exercise his or her constitutional right."
Authorities also suspended the activities of several civic groups during the campaign season. That Group, a prominent media watchdog, closed its office Wednesday after the interior ministry alleged in a letter that the group was involved in activities “prejudicial to the security and laws of Uganda.”
Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains in prison after he was charged with treason in February 2025.
Uganda opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine, right, greets election observers, including former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, at his home in Magere village on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)
Billboards of Uganda President and National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni are seen in Kampala, Uganda, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Samson Otieno)
Electoral workers deliver ballot boxes to a polling station during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Voters are reflected in a police officer's sunglasses as they wait in line after voting failed to start on time due to system failures during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
Voters wait to cast their ballots during the presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
