Darius Slayton is already going to bat for the Giants’ potential first-round decide.
The veteran receiver downplayed criticism surrounding Shedeur Sanders patting the soccer earlier than throwing through the Colorado quarterback’s professional day exercise final Friday.
Some, together with new Jets security Andre Cisco, raised flags about Sanders’ patting tendency and the way that would probably work adversely in opposition to him within the NFL.
“😂😂I promise he can pat the ball and be just fine if DB’s was so good at breaking on ball pats they’d all have 8+ picks a year,” Slayton posted Saturday to X.
“Same guys that fall for a 2 man dagger concept and give up the dig on 3rd&long every season all season long talkin bout a ball pat what a joke😂.”
It appears a digital lock at this level that Miami’s Cam Ward would be the first quarterback drafted — possible by the Titans with the primary total decide — and Sanders possible would be the second sign caller chosen.
Sanders, the son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, has been linked to the Browns with the No. 2 decide and the Giants with the third choice, however some wonder if he could slip.
Friday marked an opportunity for Sanders to wow executives and coaches across the league, which included a 14-person Giants contingent that featured coach Brian Daboll and common supervisor Joe Schoen, amongst others.
Sanders accomplished 62 of 67 passes throughout his exercise, per The Athletic, however a roughly 1:45-minute video from the Extra time X account showcasing highlights as an alternative led to some critiquing how Sanders pats the ball earlier than delivering a cross.
The argument is that Sanders is giving defensive backs further time to defend a ball by doing so.
“Boy better stop patting that ball, we breakin onnat earlyyyy,” Cisco quote tweeted the spotlight reel, which has 13.7 million views as of Monday morning.
Slayton’s quote tweet got here above a distinct tweet criticizing Sanders that featured the identical exercise, which an X person labeled “concerning.”
When somebody requested Slayton about his take whereas relaying Cisco’s remark, he offered additional context.
“There’s these large fellows called lineman who are in between line of sight so if a QB isn’t 6’4-6’5+ you lose them behind the OL all the time so if i can’t see the QB throw it to me how in the Flying Dutchman is a DB gonna see him pat it BEFORE he throws it,” Slayton stated.
Cowboys cross rusher Micah Parsons finally joined in on the motion, responding to Slayton’s preliminary comment by questioning Slayton’s view.
“You realize at Pat on the ball can be difference between a sack or a throw away/completion?” Parsons tweeted.
Slatyon, who re-signed with the Giants on a three-year, $36 million deal this offseason, responded to Parsons by noting how Tom Brady — arguably the perfect quarterback in NFL historical past — additionally patted the ball.
The 28-year-old later posted a video displaying a few of the recreation’s finest quarterbacks patting the ball earlier than throwing.
“Tom Brady literally the king of getting the ball out fast patted the ball when he threw,” Slayton posted. “So actually no patting the ball is not the difference.”
Slayton will quickly discover out whether or not his optimistic help for Sanders proved to be a powerful first impression on the Giants’ quarterback of the longer term or one other staff’s inheritor.
With the No. 3 decide, the Giants are anticipated by many to probably land Sanders, fellow Colorado star and two-way phenom Travis Hunter or star Penn State cross rusher Abdul Carter.
The primary spherical of the 2025 NFL Draft begins Thursday, April 24.
