Colorado HC Deion Sanders shares bold NFL Draft claim about son Shedeur

Outspoken Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders believes that his son and current Colorado quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, could have been among the first players selected if he was available in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

"Shedeur — let’s just get this straight," Deion said during a Colorado spring news conference, per Sam Gillenwater of On3. "Shedeur would have been a high draft pick this year. Let’s just stop the foolishness, and you get mad when I tell you."

Most analysts believe that USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams, LSU Tigers signal-caller Jayden Daniels, and North Carolina Tar Heels starter Drake Maye will be the first three picks for this year's draft. Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy's draft stock has risen so much that some think a team could trade up to the No. 4 spot to grab him.

It's unclear where Shedeur would rank in a list of prospects that included those four players. While with Colorado last season, he completed 69.3% of 430 pass attempts for 3,230 yards with 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also contributed four rushing scores. 

Last month, Charlie Campbell of Walter Football predicted that Shedeur would be the first pick of the 2025 draft. More recently, Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network listed him second among quarterback prospects for next year's draft class behind only Carson Beck of the Georgia Bulldogs.

"He won’t wow with physical tools," one scout told Walter Football about Shedeur. "But his arm is good enough, especially in the short and intermediary. Mentally, he can operate at incredible speed. He could be the most NFL-ready as far as football I.Q.; he bleeds confidence and charisma. He’ll own a team immediately because of his competitiveness and obvious advantage having grown up in the rare NFL bubble. Pro ball will not scare him." 

Deion reminded everybody during his comments that he still has plenty of contacts in the NFL. 

"I played for how many years, 14? Got a gold jacket at the crib, I think," Deion continued. "I think I know some people. You know, [people such as Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones and Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank]. I know some people in the game...I know some people. So, when I speak, I’m not just throwing stuff out of my head. I’m throwing stuff based on knowledge."

Credit Deion for hyping up his son so early into the process, but few would deny that Shedeur has plenty to prove between now and the opening night of the 2025 draft.