- NCAA. Shedeur Sanders gets what he wanted all along as major draft development works in his favor
- NCAA. Shedeur Sanders possesses something unique that no other NFL Draft prospect has
Over the past two seasons, Shedeur Sanders wowed college football fans as he led the moribund Colorado Buffaloes back to national prominence. In 2024, Shedeur and his dad -- Colorado head coach Deion Sanders -- led the Buffs to a 9-4 record and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl, a successful campaign that might lay the foundation for success as Colorado enters a new era without Shedeur or Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter.
Hunter and Shedeur Sanders are both expected to be high selections in the 2025 NFL Draft, which will take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin. One, both, or neither of them could be in the conversation to be selected first overall on April 24 -- even Deion, widely regarded as one of the best NFL players of his generation, merited that distinction, as he was the fifth overall pick in the loaded 1989 draft.
Shedeur, Cam Ward battling it out to be #1
According to ESPN, talent evaluators around the NFL appear to have settled on Miami quarterback Cam Ward as the top signal-caller in the draft -- some scouts don't think it's close when comparing Ward to Sanders. However, if the Tennessee Titans opt not to trade down from #1, it might be because the organization has its eyes on Sanders to kick off its turnaround.
"Sanders' pocket-ing ability as a deft processor is appreciated and will make for an easy NFL transition, thus he becomes a slightly better fit for a Brian Callahan offense in Tennessee, according to multiple scouts," Turron Davenport and Jeremy Fowler wrote.
NFL executives have long been concerned over Sanders' attitude and mental makeup, with some believing that his refusal to take part in the Scouting Combine portends trouble for the franchise that drafts him. Still, there are multiple teams in the top 10 -- including the Titans -- that need a long-term solution behind center, and they may instead prioritize Sanders' track record of program turnarounds in the NCAA as opposed to perceptions of the 23-year-old as an arrogant primadonna.