ESPN writer implies Bronny James, but not Colorado football QB Shedeur Sanders, a product of nepotism

Andscape’s William C. Rhoden doesn’t believe Colorado football QB Shedeur Sanders should have the same nepotism accusations thrown at him as the 2024 NBA draft’s No. 55 pick and LeBron James’s son, Bronny James, did when Shedeur enters the 2025 NFL draft next April.

“…in the ethos of competitive sports, where merit truly matters, I wonder whether LeBron James — in his quest for posterity — has done his son a disservice in the long run,” Rhoden prefaced before saying, “Will his son carry the invisible weight of being a fraud?

“That’s one burden Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders’ youngest son, won’t have to carry. He knows he’s earned it. This time next year, Shedeur Sanders will have walked across the stage at the NFL draft to shake NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s hand as a likely first-round pick, maybe one of the first quarterbacks taken in the draft. Whether he is or isn’t won’t be because of his father’s lobbying.”

There’s no doubt that Shedeur is a baller and worthy of first-round consideration. The “Grown QB” has transcended his father’s shadow at this point, even with Coach Prime on the sidelines. As much as Deion knows about how a QB operates on the field from his ball-hawking days as an NFL corner, Shedeur has become a star under coordinators unrelated to him. At Jackson State and in Boulder to boot.

Shedeur is the Big 12’s best QB and, according to some, the best QB in the country. Bronny was a bench player with unremarkable stats because of a medical episode prior to the season. 29 other teams may not have used a pick on Bronny if his last name wasn’t James, but most NFL front offices would add Shedeur from a pure talent perspective.

Sanders brings more off the field drama than James, but it’s worth the price of admission considering his dominance under center.