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Jordan Reid, NFL draft analyst
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders will be one of the most talked-about prospects in the 2025 NFL draft class. Led by his father, coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, the Buffaloes emerged as a major discussion topic during the 2023 season, and Shedeur was a big part of that frenzy. Expect it to carry over into 2024 as his pro projection comes into focus.
Sanders starred for FCS Jackson State for two seasons to begin his college career, winning the Jerry Rice Award as the best freshman in FCS in 2021. He combined for 6,963 passing yards, 70 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions over 2021-22 before following his father to Colorado. Sanders immediately fit in at the FBS level last season, finishing with 3,230 passing yards, 27 touchdown passes and only three interceptions. But he was sacked more than any quarterback at the FBS level. That, coupled with Colorado’s rough 4-8 end to the season after a 3-0 start, has NFL scouts and personnel wanting to see more from the 6-foot-2, 215-pound signal-caller.
So where does Sanders stand in the eyes of the NFL heading into his senior season? What does he need to work on, and where does he fit in with other quarterbacks in the 2025 draft class? ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid talked to more than a dozen scouts, coaches and executives about Sanders’ talent, digging into his strengths, concerns, comps and draft projection.
Jump to a section:
Strengths | Early impressions | Weaknesses
Draft stock | Comparisons | Team fits
What do scouts like about Sanders’ game?
Sanders has the arm strength to accurately get the ball to the deeper portions of the field, but it’s his ball placement that could truly separate him from his counterparts in the 2025 class. In the short and underneath areas, he has easy accuracy that helps him put the ball in precise locations.
His QBR on passes of 10 or fewer air yards was an impressive 81.3 last season, and he had a 76.8% completion rate (13th-best) on those throws. Sanders’ efficiency in those areas was among the best in the country, despite playing behind a leaky offensive line that frequently forced him off his spots, mostly notably in a 42-6 loss to Oregon on Sept. 23 in which Sanders was sacked seven times.
“Watching that Oregon game, he didn’t have a chance behind that group,” an NFC area scout that covers the West Coast area said. “There are some things that come with him, but I believe he has a chance to be special if he matures in some areas.”
Sanders’ numbers from within the pocket from 2023 really stand out. He completed 73.3% of his passes from the pocket (on 363 passing attempts), which was the fourth-best mark in the FBS. And when his feet were planted, he completed an impressive 71.4% of his passes (11th-best) while also tossing 21 touchdown throws (15th-best) to only one interception.
Going back to his earlier college seasons, Sanders was clearly head and shoulders above his competition when he played at Jackson State, helping lead the program to its first conference championship since 2007. But the NFL scouting community wanted to see how Sanders would fare when challenged.
“It was tough to get a feel for just how good he was because they were just better than everybody else in that conference,” an NFC scout said when referring back to his sophomore season, in which Sanders completed at least 62% of his passes in nine of 11 games. “We all were eager to see him perform on the FBS level and we got a snapshot of it last year.”
After the Colorado transfer, all eyes were on Sanders to see how his game would translate to Power 5 football. He exploded out of the starting block, orchestrating a memorable 45-42 victory in Week 1 over TCU. Sanders made multiple high-level throws that kept the Buffaloes in that game and eventually led an upset victory over a team that was in the College Football Playoff the previous season.
When talking to scouts, the one matchup they constantly brought up was the double-overtime thriller against Colorado State in Week 3, arguably Sanders’ best performance of the season. With 2:06 remaining in the fourth quarter and Colorado trailing 28-20, he put together a seven-play, 98-yard drive that ended with him stepping up into the pocket and throwing a pass between two defenders, resulting in a 45-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Horn Jr. with only 36 seconds left.
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Shedeur Sanders orchestrates 98-yard drive to tie game late for Colorado
Shedeur Sanders carries Colorado down the field with his arm thanks to two phenomenal throws for a touchdown and two-point conversion.
Still in need of a 2-point conversion to tie the game, Sanders delivered, throwing a conversion pass to Michael Harrison to send the game into overtime. Colorado eventually prevailed 43-35 in double OT, with Sanders throwing two more touchdown passes and another 2-point conversion pass in extra time.
“He’s not afraid of the moment and welcomes those instances when they need him to make a play,” an AFC area scout said.
Sanders is an even-keel distributor who can dissect and pick apart defenses when given time to throw. He is an enticing option for QB-needy teams thanks not only to the success that he has experienced on multiple levels but also to the calmness of his play. Last season, he had an impressive 16 TD passes to only one interception in the red zone, and eight of those tosses were go-ahead scores.
Sanders accumulated those impressive statistics despite suspect protection. The Colorado offensive line experienced plenty of struggles, as Sanders was sacked an FBS-high 52 times in 2023. Blown blocks (16) and blitzes (12) were the two main reasons for such a high sack count, and Sanders was pressured on 38.2% of his throws, 15th-highest in the FBS.
“When they actually protected him, you just simply can’t teach the poise that that kid plays with,” said one scout from an AFC team. “They crumbled after those first few games, but in those first games, Shedeur showed that he’s capable of operating at a high level when he has time.”
What’s the early word on him among NFL scouts?
The upside with Sanders is evident, but there’s still plenty he needs to show in order to be viewed as a potential first-round pick that can be developed into a franchise quarterback. For one, he brings outside considerations that haven’t been seen from a rookie in some time.
“You’re not only drafting Shedeur, you’re drafting the family as well,” an NFC area scout said, “and there will be varying opinions about that.”
You have to go back to 2004 to find another famous father’s attempt to control the landing spot for his son heading into the NFL draft. Archie Manning repeatedly expressed his desire for Eli Manning to not end up with the Chargers at No. 1 overall that year, eventually helping guide his son to the Giants. Could we have a similar occurrence with the Sanders family trying to control Shedeur’s landing spot?
During a March appearance on SiriusXM Mad Dog Radio with Chris Russo, Deion Sanders stated, “I don’t want my kid going nowhere cold next year.” He went on to say, “I’m just thinking way ahead. I don’t want that for him.”
That quote wasn’t a surprise. Executives and scouts I spoke to are aware of the variables that surround the draft stock and future outlook of Shedeur.
“Deion has been the kid’s coach all of his life. Everyone knows that he’s running that show and that’s not going to change moving forward,” an NFC executive said.
There is a major difference between Eli Manning and Shedeur Sanders, though. Manning was widely viewed as the top QB of his class (followed by Philip Rivers, who was eventually included in the Chargers-Giants draft day swap). Sanders still has another year to build his draft stock but isn’t yet considered a consensus Round 1 lock, let alone the clear QB1.
Sanders is joined by Georgia’s Carson Beck and Texas’ Quinn Ewers as the top draft-eligible quarterbacks. At 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, Beck has the prototypical frame, arm strength and upside to be a QB1 contender next April. The opinions on Ewers are more varied, but he has shown enough flashes during his two seasons as the Longhorns’ starter that scouts are hopeful he can build on a strong finish to 2023.
As for Sanders, he needs to show a bit more against the better teams on Colorado’s schedule to cement his place in the first round.
“I like what he showed early on, but once they played like Oregon, UCLA, and those teams that have legit Sunday players, I thought a lot of his weaknesses showed up,” an assistant NFL general manager said.
Which parts of Sanders’ game still need work between now and the draft?
Sanders was sacked on 9.8% of his dropbacks last season, the ninth-highest rate in the FBS. A lot of that could be attributed to the poor offensive line, but there’s also plenty of blame to place on Sanders, who would often ignore an expiring internal clock by hanging onto the ball too long. His average time to pass was 2.77 seconds last season, a little below FBS average.
Compounding mistakes was also a frequent issue, as he seemed to press to make plays too often. Sanders showed a tendency to run backward or look to exit out the side of the pocket instead of climbing vertically or up in the pocket when there was room to do so. When forced to move, Sanders had a 53.2% completion percentage, which ranked 73rd in the country. Picks weren’t a problem, but it’s worth noting that two of his three interceptions last season came when forced to leave the original launch point.
“He didn’t have a chance behind that offensive line, but he still has to learn to get the ball out faster,” an NFC scouting director said. “He just held onto it too long at times and had way too many plays that left you scratching your head.”
Colorado’s offense struggled to find consistency with the deep passing game, too, with Sanders averaging 7.5 yards per attempt last season — which ranked 58th in the country. His 7.3 air yards per attempt (104th in FBS) showed the challenges that the offense faced and how it was limited to only attacking the underneath areas due to poor protection.
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Can Shedeur Sanders carry Colorado despite O-line issues?
Heather Dinich discusses whether Shedeur Sanders can overcome roster shortcomings to lead the Buffaloes to a solid Big 12 season.
The Buffaloes were forced to scheme quick throws due to the struggles up front. Colorado’s offense had only 79 explosive plays last season (rushes of 10-plus yards or passes of 20-plus yards), which ranked 117th in the FBS.
Newly hired offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur brings a pro-style scheme that will have Sanders perform more of the concepts that will be asked of him in the NFL. One variation we can expect more of in 2024 is the incorporation of more plays under center. In 2023, Sanders had just six dropbacks (out of 529 total) from that platform. The increase in under-center snaps creates more opportunity for play-action passes and true dropback concepts. One of the biggest assets of Sanders’ game is his comfort within the confines of the pocket, as he threw 20 touchdown passes to only one interception.
Teams will be looking to see how quickly Sanders can get a rid of the ball this season. Improving that timing and ceasing to compound mistakes could help boost Sanders’ draft stock.
What’s Sanders’ draft stock right now, and how high could it rise if everything goes right?
Unlike last year, there isn’t a consensus top signal-caller heading into the college season. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye were the two names repeatedly talked about this time last year prior to Jayden Daniels‘ unforeseen breakout senior season, which led him to the Heisman Trophy and eventually becoming the No. 2 overall pick between Williams and Maye.
Scouts around the league have placed Sanders in the first tier of passers in the 2025 class, but their perceptions of him vary beyond that.
“He’s a Friday guy [Day 2] for me heading into the year,” a scout for an AFC team said.
“I don’t know if you’ve seen the upcoming QB class, but he has a chance to rise to the top quickly because this group was underwhelming on tape,” another NFC executive said.
But there are NFL people who already have Sanders in the first round based on what he has put on tape thus far in college and his potential.
“I think he’s a Round 1 pick because of the upside and confidence that he plays with,” a high-ranking NFC executive said. “Add in the NFL DNA and how he’s going to step into the league and feel like he’s ready, there will be a team that loves that about him.”
Sanders enters the season as my QB2 behind Beck and just ahead of Ewers. The Colorado QB’s game revolves around precision, a balanced base and unique poise in pressure situations, and Sanders never lacks confidence in his ability and isn’t shy with throwing the ball into any area of the field. He has enough arm strength to drive it into windows over the middle or deliver passes accurately to targets on the perimeter. That’s enough to put him in that upper tier.
I have Sanders graded as a late-Round 1 to early-Round 2 pick, but there are a lot of questions that he will need to answer. Last season’s porous offensive line has been reconstructed, but Sanders will need to develop chemistry with it in order to improve on getting the ball out quicker. He must take a step forward in sack avoidance and pay better attention to his internal clock. If he’s able to show growth in those areas, he could position himself to be the first signal-caller off the board next April.
Which current/former NFL players are Sanders’ best comps?
In polling 15 scouts from around the league, the three most common stylistic comparisons for Sanders were Joe Burrow, Geno Smith and Tyrod Taylor.
Smith was the most frequently mentioned comparison, as his playing style and projections dating to his time at West Virginia in the early 2010s are eerily similar to Sanders’ scouting report. A second-round pick in 2013, Smith spent a majority of his career as high-quality insurance for multiple starters prior to a breakout 2022 season with the Seahawks which saw him win the Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Just how similar are the two? Like Smith, Sanders’ game centers around poise, precision and ball placement. Despite having enough mobility to escape pressure, both Smith and Sanders play from a balanced platform and have smooth throwing motions. Both are easy throwers of the ball and understand how to distribute it to perimeter playmakers while playing with a confidence that’s contagious throughout an entire offense.
Although the collegiate teams surrounding Sanders and Burrow — who led LSU to the 2019 national championship — are night-and-day different, Burrow was the second-most common comparison used in the poll. The comparisons are based on a similar playing style, football instincts, decisiveness (when protected), comfort in the pocket and demeanor. Both have good, not great arms. And Sanders and Burrow also each move well inside the pocket but have just enough mobility to escape pressure when flushed outside of it.
“He’s Burrow because they’re just never phased in those high-pressure situations and plays with swag,” an AFC North area scout passionately said when explaining why he thinks Sanders resembles the 2020 No. 1 overall pick. “Does [Sanders] have plenty that he needs to clean up? Sure, but that type of calming presence is why Joe came into the AFC and it didn’t take him long for him to experience success.”
Taylor was the only other quarterback suggested, as there were multiple scouts who coupled the two because of what they felt was B-level arm strength, limited mobility and the ceiling of just being good enough to stabilize an offense. At 6-foot-1 and 217 pounds, Taylor has nearly identical physical traits to Sanders, too.
“Tyrod’s stability is why he’s continued to stay in the league forever,” an AFC executive said, “[but] I’m not saying the kid will be a sixth-round pick like [Taylor] was.”
Which NFL teams could be in play for Sanders — and where is his best fit?
The Las Vegas Raiders are the most obvious quarterback-needy team heading into the season, as neither 2023 fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell nor journeyman Gardner Minshew seem to be the long-term answer. With new general manager Tom Telesco and new coach Antonio Pierce entering their first year together, the search for a franchise QB might be their overwhelming No. 1 priority for the 2025 draft. The Raiders reportedly did extensive homework on the 2024 QB class prior to exploring a potential move into the top three. But after being unable to secure their QB of the future then, the team could try again to solidify that spot next offseason.
Another team that could find itself in the QB market is the New York Giants. A year after signing Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million extension, the team was reported to be attempting a trade up to draft a new passer in the 2024 draft. The Giants ultimately stayed at No. 6 and took LSU receiver Malik Nabers instead, but they head into next season with Jones and veteran backup Drew Lock at the top of their depth chart. If New York stumbles to another 6-11 season (or worse), it will likely be searching for a solution under center.
And how about this for a wild-card team — the Dallas Cowboys, who find themselves having to extend Dak Prescott to a massive new contract or start over at the position in 2025.
“With the Dak contract mess happening and struggling to pay their other stars, you better believe that Jerry has it in the back of his mind what the benefits of a young and cheap QB could be for that team if they crash and burn again in the playoffs,” the NFC area scout said. “Imagine a home-state kid whose dad not only played for your franchise but was a highly successful player, and Shedeur is the type of player that’d embrace the star on the side of his helmet.”
Dallas is probably a long shot, even if the Sanders family tries to exert control over Shedeur’s landing spot. The Raiders and Giants seem to be the most logical destinations for Sanders if he proves to be a first-round talent. Las Vegas is particularly intriguing as a team that has playmakers on offense — Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers at receiver and newly drafted tight end Brock Bowers — but major questions at QB.