Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders age, 40 time, & more: NFL Draft 2024
What happens with Shedeur Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes is one of the most compelling stories in college football. Playing for his father, NFL Hall of Fame CB Deion Sanders, is a storyline on its own. Transferring from Jackson State to the Pac-12 is another storyline.
How can we evaluate Sanders as an NFL draft prospect with a small sample size at a lower level of competition?
The 2023 season will provide us with significant clarity regarding the future of Shedeur Sanders. It is evident that Sanders is a plus athlete, and his playmaking ability with his feet is unquestionable. How he develops as a quarterback, from the pocket, in the traditional sense, will ultimately determine his value in the eyes of NFL talent evaluators.
With multiple years of collegiate eligibility, Shedeur Sanders may be better off remaining in college for several seasons to develop his craft. As for now, let's dive in on his draft portal whether or not he enters the 2024 NFL draft.
AGE: 21
40 TIME: 4.65
Shedeur Sanders scout report: Strengths
+ Versatile playmaker at the QB position can impact the game with his legs as much as his arm.
+ Off-the-charts athleticism and quickness, which should not be a surprise given his lineage.
+ Scratching the surface of his potential entering his sophomore season.
+ Underrated pocket awareness.
+ Live arm that can stretch a defense vertically and horizontally.
+ The 21-year-old has a 40 time of 4.65 seconds (via NFLDraftBuzz)
Shedeur Sanders scout report: Weaknesses
-Mechanically, Sanders needs a complete overhaul.
-Loses focus on the fundamentals of the QB position, drops his throwing motion in the pocket and outside of the offensive structure.
-Thin athlete, needs to bulk up significantly if he is to find sustained success at the NFL level.
-Accuracy needs to improve, inconsistent passer due to mechanics.
-Sanders is more of a playmaker than a consistent QB at this point of his development.
Shedeur Sanders scout report: Overall
When you evaluate the film, Shedeur Sanders is captivating. The more I watched, the more I couldn't look away. The more answers I uncovered, the more questions I had.
Having a Hall-of-Fame father in Deion Sanders, Shedeur will be prepared for the rigors of the NFL. Sanders was one of the greatest defensive backs ever, but was not known for his offensive acumen. Shedeur could use an offensive guru to show him the ropes.
While playing for Jacksonville State, Sanders showed off his QB playmaking ability. Sanders completed over 70% of his throws, displaying more accuracy and anticipation than expected. Unfortunately, Sanders also took a ton of sacks, several of them completely unnecessary.
Sanders needs more experience and seasoning playing the QB position. Moving from Jacksonville State to Colorado is a quantum leap in competition and will give us more insight into how Sanders' game projects to the professional ranks.
Sanders is a project right now. The game needs to slow down for him, and he doesn't need to be as reliant on his natural athleticism. I would prefer to see him stick and stay in college for two seasons, get used to the Pac-12 competition and get bigger and stronger.
If Shedeur Sanders were to enter the 2024 NFL draft, I would consider him a mid-round prospect, but there are some exciting traits here, if developed, that could lead to a significantly more positive projection.