Shedeur Sanders was not drafted in the early rounds of the NFL draft, despite being a highly anticipated prospect, due to a combination of factors including concerns about his football skills, his attitude during pre-draft evaluations, and possible league-wide discouragement. Key reasons for Sanders' draft slide include:

• Concerns about his football abilities such as arm strength, athleticism, and tendency to take too many sacks, which some scouts felt might limit his NFL success. He also missed some opportunities to fully showcase his skills to teams during pre-draft workouts.

• Reports of challenging interviews and a perceived haughty attitude during discussions with NFL teams, including an incident involving New York Giants coach Brian Daboll, which left a negative impression.

• Speculation and allegations from multiple sources, including NFL insiders and former players, that the NFL may have intentionally influenced teams to avoid drafting him, possibly to make an example. This has been linked to aspects of his personality, public image, and cultural factors, leading to accusations of bias and discrimination.

• His unique celebrity status as the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders and his outspoken confidence may have contributed to mixed reception and skepticism among teams.

Ultimately, Sanders was drafted much later than expected, in the 5th round (144th overall) by the Cleveland Browns. This historic draft slide generated significant controversy and discussion in the sports community and beyond.

In summary, Sanders was not drafted early mainly due to concerns over his football skill set and attitude during evaluations, combined with potential league-level deterrence reflecting off-field and cultural issues.