Rashaun Williams compares Shark Tank to an NFL draft

Shark Tank season 17 is underway with a blend of returning sharks and guest investors, offering new perspectives to the long-running business reality show.

The series now airs on Wednesday nights on ABC, beginning its new season on September 24, 2025.

As mentioned in the Shark Tank Blog published on September 30, 2025, guest shark Rashaun Williams compared the show to an NFL draft, describing how the process allows him to focus on high-potential companies without having to review thousands of pitch decks himself.

Williams, who has spent more than 25 years teaching financial literacy, emphasized that the show gives him a platform to combine teaching with investing.

He said he can sit with other entrepreneurs and leading investors, ask questions he normally would not get to ask, and observe entrepreneurs’ reactions after an investment.

This reflection is part of a larger preview of season 17, which features returning sharks such as Robert Herjavec and new guests like Allison Ellsworth, who herself once pitched in the Tank.

Together, they shape a season filled with diverse viewpoints, strategic negotiations, and moments that reflect the evolving culture of Shark Tank as it enters a new phase.

Rashaun Williams explains the NFL draft comparison and his experience on Shark Tank 

In the Shark Tank Blog dated September 30, 2025, Rashaun Williams spoke at length about why the show reminds him of an NFL draft.

“I don’t have to go through 10,000 pitch decks to narrow it down to 10 companies. They do it for me,” he said.

This setup, he explained, allows him to focus his time on a small number of entrepreneurs who have already been vetted for their ideas and readiness.

Williams added,

“I get to sit next to people who are entrepreneurs and some of the best investors in the country, asking questions that I don’t get to ask.”

This gives him access to a unique learning environment, not just for the entrepreneurs but also for himself as an investor. He also shared how emotional the experience can be.

“And I sometimes cry and I’m emotional about it,” Williams admitted, highlighting the personal connection he feels with the founders.

He noted that the show provides a way to scale his commitment to financial literacy.

“This is like a platform that I can take the financial literacy that I’ve been teaching for 25 years to the masses,” he said.

Guest sharks bring new perspectives to season 17 alongside returning investors 

The Shark Tank Blog also featured comments from other sharks and guest investors about how the new season’s lineup changes the tone.

Robert Herjavec described the competitive spirit of the show by recalling a moment when he re-entered a pitch after opting out, saying,

“Oh, welcome to Shark Tank, baby! We are so competitive.”

Allison Ellsworth, who first appeared in the Tank in 2018 with her company Mother Beverage, returned as a guest shark this season.

She said, “I love that I get to be a guest shark because I think it closes that circle of now me being able to kind of give back all of my knowledge.”

Ellsworth also noted how her appearance could inspire others.

“They can see a mom of three coming on the show, nine months pregnant now, sitting in that chair, it’s pretty special for me,” she said.

Together, Williams, Herjavec, Ellsworth, and the returning panel create a dynamic environment that blends the competitive tradition of Shark Tank with new approaches from guest investors.

By bringing in participants who have lived the entrepreneurial journey themselves, season 17 builds a setting where deals, education, and personal stories intersect. Williams’s NFL draft analogy underscores how curated the process is and how it benefits both sharks and entrepreneurs.

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Stay tuned for more updates.