Pre-draft chatter about prospects can be strategic. Teams that like a player (and hope to draft him) will be inclined to traffic in negativity. Teams that don't like a player (and hope someone above them will pick him) like to fuel a player's hype.

Shedeur Sanders had an interesting approach to the NFL Draft process, and his approach clearly contributed to his slide to the fifth round. According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, one general manager said Sanders treated his meetings with teams ahead of the draft as if he were being “recruited,” rather than being "interviewed."