Shedeur Sanders: The Quarterback at the Crossroads
Following his press conference at the “WE AIN’T HARD 2 FIND Showcase 2025” in Colorado, Shedeur Sanders met with Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. The embrace between the two suggested a long friendship. Payton, recalling the past, exclaimed: “The last time I saw you, you were just a pup!” This encounter, documented by several videographers, is just a glimpse of the anticipation surrounding Sanders, projected as one of the top picks in the upcoming NFL draft.
Sanders, with connections since his childhood thanks to his father, the legendary Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, knows NFL owners and coaches. However, despite his projection and the league’s knowledge of him, doubts still exist.
As with most prospects, Shedeur’s game has been scrutinized. Scouts point out his accuracy, but also the tendency to hold the ball too long and take unnecessary risks. His athleticism is good, but not exceptional. However, what really stands out is his environment.
On Colorado’s Pro Day, with league personnel and media present, Shedeur Sanders took the field, but was also evaluated for his confidence and his fame as Deion’s son. (Photo: AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Shedeur’s upbringing in his father’s circle of famous friends, combined with his success in the NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) culture, gives him a unique perspective and profile. His confident personality, inherited from his parents, and the media attention surrounding him, have also been subject to scrutiny.
“I can’t think of a more difficult quarterback case study to try to come to a conclusion on whether I think he’ll succeed at the level he’ll be drafted,” commented a veteran NFL scout.
Veteran NFL scout
The Colorado event, which also featured Travis Hunter, another outstanding prospect, was a display of Deion Sanders’ ambition. The Colorado staff sported sweatshirts with the “WE AIN’T HARD 2 FIND” design, and cookies with the same logo in sugar icing were not missing. The organization included a VIP area with comfortable seating and food and beverage service for the team’s sponsors. Even the media credentials, which included six production teams, were larger than normal, with gold lanyards featuring the PRIME logo.
Shedeur, although not difficult to find, remains an enigma for those trying to predict his future in the NFL.
Sanders stopped to speak with each reporter who approached him after his scheduled press conference at the combine. (Photo: Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The Trust Factor and Deion’s Legacy
In the NFL combine interviews, Shedeur offered long and detailed answers, even when not asked. When questioned about his upbringing, he responded: “Personally, I don’t have a trust fund, so I have no choice but to succeed.”
Regarding his high school experience, he mentioned that he quit basketball upon receiving American football offers, as he was only “decent” at basketball. “I didn’t want to… I couldn’t dunk, I couldn’t do anything,” he said.
Later, Shedeur addressed the pressure of being the son of a world-renowned athlete.
“I feel like nothing can mentally faze me, because I’ve been in the highest-pressure situation known,” Shedeur stated. “That’s the advantage I have over any other player, because they haven’t dealt with the expectation right away.”
Shedeur Sanders
Unlike other prospects, Shedeur addressed the camera when answering, which generated comments. “As for the pressure and expectations, I’ve always had them my whole life,” he continued. “So going to an NFL franchise isn’t going to change anything for me, it’s just another day in the life.”
Those who know Sanders refuted certain characterizations that arose after his combine interviews. (Photo: Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
Following the combine, anonymous reports from teams suggested that Shedeur was “arrogant” and “unprofessional.” However, those who know him, including his coaches, refuted these claims.
“For me, honestly, I thought it was other people’s insecurities and how they feel about, can I coach this kid?” commented Andre’ Hart, Colorado’s linebackers coach. “He might not listen to me. I might not be able to control him. And football is not about that. Coaching is not about controlling the kid.”
Andre’ Hart
Pilar Sanders, mother of Shedeur, added: “At a very young age, they know who they are. They know what they can do. … If you’re good at something, if you don’t know it, who’s going to know it? That’s not something our children struggle with, that’s not something we’ve struggled with.”
An NFL executive, who has met Shedeur, commented: “He’s a very thoughtful person. Sometimes, that can come across as a little combative because he’s going to ask questions and really wants to think about what you’re saying. He’s really not a ‘yes’ person. He’s really going to have his own thoughts.”
Shedeur’s supposed independence has generated concern in an NFL dominated by offensive coaches. When asked which quarterbacks he admired, Shedeur replied: “I watch my own tapes,” adding that it would be “a little disrespectful” to his father. This response raised doubts as to whether the confidence needed for a quarterback had turned into arrogance.
“Ultimately, the teams that decide on him will have to decide, does that type of personality allow someone to maximize their physical potential?” said a veteran NFL scout.
Veteran NFL scout
Eric Galko, director of the East-West Shrine Bowl, noted that Shedeur might be “disillusioned” with the NFL due to his exposure to influential figures. “Teams know how to evaluate that character and ask the questions to get the answers they need. And I think some have found some challenges with Shedeur. The feedback I’ve received is: ‘We can’t use our usual formula as easily to evaluate Shedeur as a person.'”
Scouts also face difficulties in getting a complete picture of Shedeur due to Deion’s influence on the Colorado program. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur is one of the key voices that teams seek to hear, as they ask: “What is he really like?” Shurmur describes Shedeur as a “wonderfully unique human being” with a “big heart,” but also “shy.”
In his combine interview, Shedeur answered the final question asked: “Why should an NFL team take a chance on you?” His response was forceful: “Because I know I’m the most guaranteed risk you can take.” He mentioned his ability to adapt to different offensive coordinators and his experience in high-pressure situations.
The Impact of the Sanders in Colorado
The strategically scheduled Colorado event demonstrated the influence of the Sanders family. In the Sanders’ debut season in 2023, Colorado sold out its six home games. In addition, it was the only team in 2024 to have every game nationally televised on the four major networks and ESPN. Colorado’s appearance in the Alamo Bowl drew 8 million viewers, a record.
Curtis Snyder, from the Colorado communications department, stated that they have accredited over 900 media members for a game, surpassing the previous record of 601. “We immediately became the center of the college football world,” he said. “And for a while, at the beginning of Deion’s reign, like when we beat TCU, I’d almost say the center of the sports world.”
Television coverage and traditional media are just the beginning. The Sanders family even has its own publicist. Gary Harrell, a former Colorado assistant coach, estimated that cameras filmed inside Colorado’s football facilities between 85% and 90% of the time the coaching staff worked in 2023 and 2024. Deion’s oldest son, Deion Jr., produces documentary videos of the football program for a YouTube channel with 544,000 subscribers.
The presence of sports figures, actors, and rappers on the sidelines of Colorado games became commonplace. Harrell mentioned that one could even receive advice from players like Terrell Owens. However, this level of attention is not usual in the NFL, where privacy is valued and distractions are avoided.
With his famous father, Shedeur has been in the spotlight for much of his life, but in transitioning to the NFL, he will have to adjust to Deion not being by his side. (Photo: John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
The absence of Deion as coach will be a significant change for Shedeur. Deion, at the Colorado event, spoke with NFL personnel and expressed his opinion on the draft process, considering it “ignorant”.
“When they put Sanders on their backs, they get attacked,” Deion said. “… The negativity of the opinions just because his father is very successful, that’s not fair. Sometimes we go out of bounds, but that’s what we get when we start compensating college players… They’re in it and they’re getting attacked.”
Deion Sanders
At the combine, Shedeur answered the question of how he would adapt without his father. His usual response is to remember that he has played with six different offensive coordinators, including Deion. “Dad isn’t out there playing for me now,” Shedeur said. “He’s not on the microphone saying, Hey, throw this slant here. He’s not doing that at all. So he just oversees everything.”
Those who know Shedeur and Deion believe this will only help him in the NFL. Hart, from the Colorado staff, commented: “I don’t think anyone is going to be harder on Shedeur than I’ve seen his father be.” Brian Callahan, head coach of the Tennessee Titans, added that the family influence is only beneficial.
Shedeur and his older brother, Shilo, did not sign with an NFLPA-certified agent. Pilar Sanders explained that, knowing the game their whole lives, they know what they want and don’t need anyone to speak for them.
Shedeur will not distance himself from his family, and those who know him believe that measuring him only by Deion’s legacy is underestimating him. Hart predicts that Shedeur “is going to crush many of these things that people are saying about him” and will be an even greater figure, a better player, with more confidence and style, thanks to his father’s preparation. An NFL executive commented that Shedeur’s personality is a topic of discussion for being a quarterback, but that it would not be a problem if he played in another position.
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado’s quarterback, is in a crucial position in the sport. His potential, and his father’s legacy, make him a prospect with a high standard, but Deion Sanders states: “We are here to change the game.”
