Shedeur Sanders

Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, QB, 6015, 215, Sr.

Draft Profile -- 3-21-25

Frankly: Apparently I have been looking at misnamed videos because I see far more positives and far fewer negatives than I hear and read about. I like him as the best quarterback in this draft. It seems people are looking for things to complain about, the latest being that he pats the ball before throwing, which will tip off NFL defenders. What BS. Plenty of  QBs do that ( or did ), including Miami's Cam Ward, and it is never mentioned. We watched Sanders play under duress most of the last two seasons and showed great focus and accuracy. I heard knocks that he is not the athlete his father was. Who is? As a person, S. Sanders never hid who he was, and I think that guy intimidates many people. When I heard him go over the top at the Combine, I just thought he was self-confident. However, scouts and GMs told me he was less than impressive in his meetings with teams at Indy. Is this part of "lying season" tactics? The most often used words to describe him were "dismissive", "indifferent", and "aloof." I was told his ability to show his knowledge of the game on a board was not acceptable. That was surprising after watching him on the field. However, the term "playground hero" came to mind. I am conflicted because what I see on the field is a potential franchise quarterback who can command respect in the huddle and deliver under pressure. A team drafting Shedeur must consider the possibility of Deion's presence interfering with. ...anything involving his son. Absent the familial situation, I like Shedeur more than most and would take him as high as No. 1 overall. I am eager to see how he works out. 

Overview
 Sanders projects as a high-ceiling prospect who could develop into a franchise cornerstone with proper coaching and protection. His precision in the short and intermediate game, coupled with advanced processing skills, provides an NFL-ready foundation to build upon. While his Alamo Bowl performance exposed areas for growth, particularly against complex defensive schemes, Sanders' body of work suggests a quarterback ready for NFL challenges. His ideal fit would be in a timing-based offense emphasizing quick decisions while providing adequate protection to maximize his accuracy and decision-making strengths. In the right system with proper development time, Sanders has legitimate franchise quarterback potential. His combination of accuracy, leadership, and proven ability to elevate his game in crucial moments creates an intriguing package for QB-needy teams early in the first round.

 Background

Shedeur Sanders enters the 2025 NFL Draft after rewriting record books at both Jackson State and Colorado. The son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, he capped his college career with an exceptional 74.2% completion rate in 2024, leading all FBS quarterbacks. His complete collegiate statistics showcase remarkable consistency: finishing with over 13,000 passing yards, 121 touchdowns, and just 23 interceptions. Sanders' journey began at Trinity Christian High School, where he posted a 47-5 record with 12,627 passing yards and 166 touchdowns. At Jackson State, he dominated FCS competition, earning Jerry Rice National Freshman of the Year honors and leading the Tigers to a perfect SWAC record. His transition to Power 5 football at Colorado validated his talents against elite competition, though a challenging Alamo Bowl against BYU revealed areas for growth. Through his final season, Sanders demonstrated both brilliance and resilience, setting Colorado single-season records with 3,230 passing yards and a 69.3% completion rate. His ability to elevate his game in crucial moments was evident throughout 2024, though protection issues (52 sacks taken) tested his pocket presence and decision-making.

Scouting Report
Pros
I like one thing in particular. Under duress, on the move and in the pocked, S. Sanders has a great passing motion -- gets shoulder and elbow high to maximize torgue on the ball. Elite processing speed and diagnostic ability that consistently shows up pre-snap, making NFL-caliber adjustments and working through progressions with veteran-like precision Surgical accuracy in the short and intermediate game, demonstrated by his FBS-leading 74.2 percent completion rate and particular mastery of timing routes Is cool and calculating under pressure and maintains mechanics and accuracy even with chaos around him. Plays with the swagger of a franchise quarterback. Lightning-quick, compact release that maintains consistency across multiple platforms, allowing him to deliver from various arm angles effectively Advanced understanding of defensive leverage, particularly evident on intermediate routes where he consistently throws receivers open. Outstanding ball security relative to volume, displaying elite decision-making with a startling TD-to-INT ratio throughout his career.  Natural command of the huddle and sideline presence that elevates teammate performance, particularly in high-pressure situations Above-average mobility with enough movement to extend plays when needed, though he prefers to win from the pocket

Cons
Still developing ability to diagnose complex defensive looks, as evidenced by struggles against BYU's multiple fronts in the Alamo Bowl Can be overconfident in arm talent, attempting tight-window throws that may not translate against NFL closing speed Takes too many negative plays rather than throwing the ball away, contributed to concerning sack totals (52 in 2024) Shows tendency to drift backward under pressure instead of climbing the pocket, impacting throw power on deep balls Must improve recognition and response time against sophisticated blitz packages, particularly evident against top-tier competition

DATA

 

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August, 2024

Overview:

Shedeur Sanders’ college career has taken a unique path. A 4-star prospect out of high school, Shedeur decided to attend an HBCU school and play for his father at Jackson State. He earned numerous individual and team accolades, such as winning two SWAC championships as well as being Jackson State's school leader in passing touchdowns and completions. In 2023, Shedeur followed his dad once again, but this time to the University of Colorado, where, last season, he put up 3,230 pass yards, threw for 27 TDs (against just three interceptions) and completed 69.3 percent of his throws.

Strengths:

As a passer, I believe Sanders is a bit underrated, mainly because he played behind arguably the worst offensive line in major college football last year and, therefore, wasn’t able to consistently show all of his abilities. In the pocket, Sanders shows poise, and a good internal clock allows him to react calmly to pressure. He is underrated as an anticipatory thrower, as he shows good timing when his receivers get open.

As a decision-maker, Sander doesn’t get enough credit. He avoids bad throws and excels at protecting the ball, making smart decisions more often than not. When watching him play, you notice that he takes his time, and if the throwing lane is not there, he will move on to the next progression or extend with his legs.

In my opinion, Sanders is the best athlete of the three QBs evaluated here; he is a smooth athlete and nimble in space. When extending a play, he can pick up chunk yards if a defense forgets about him as a running threat. Sanders demonstrates nice footwork when stepping up in the pocket and resetting, giving him a solid foundation to throw a tight, accurate ball. His touch and overall placement on throws downfield is another strength, whether leading his man or putting a pass on a receiver’s back shoulder.

Weaknesses:

Shedeur is sometimes a bit slow going through his progressions, and this sluggishness in processing can lead to missed opportunities and sacks — especially true behind an offensive line that struggled like Colorado’s did in 2023. Sanders’ arm talent is about average. When throwing from a less-than-solid base or forced to change arm angles, his accuracy/ball placement can suffer. Sanders does possess a slightly elongated throwing motion, and defenders can get a jump on him when he does stare down a target.

Summary:

Even following a successful offseason, it’s hard to say whether Colorado will be a better team in 2024, but we do believe that, with another year of experience under his belt, Shedeur Sanders will be an improved quarterback. If he does decide to declare, Sanders will make a case for QB1 in the 2026 draft. We could even see a potential Heisman push if he gets more production from his supporting cast.

-- Justyce Gordon

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HISTORY -- From College Bio