Shedeur Sanders gets Joe Burrow-level endorsement from Cowboys Hall of Famer
Michael Irvin has compared draft prospect Shedeur Sanders to Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow.
Irvin is an NFL Hall of Famer and retired Dallas Cowboys wide receiver. Talking Tuesday on FS1's "Speak," Irvin weighed in on Shedeur Sanders, making explicit comparisons between Sanders and Burrow:
"Love this comparison, as opposed to some of the others that I've heard—like when you compliment with Kirk Cousins and all of that—because it says, okay, you can play, but what are you going to do in the big games? We've had some big games from Joe Burrow. We've had similar situations from Shedeur Sanders," said Irvin.
The comparison centers on both quarterbacks' ability to perform under pressure and succeed with suboptimal offensive line protection. These traits have seemingly made Burrow one of the NFL's premier signal-callers despite facing significant pass rush throughout his career.
Shedeur Sanders lives in "big moments."
Irvin specifically praised Sanders' clutch performance ability, separating him from other quarterback prospects:
"People like to say they hold onto the ball too long. I like to say, hey, maybe they're just standing in the pocket, staring down the barrel, and making that throw. It's the same thing," Irvin noted, defending what some scouts have criticized as a weakness in Sanders' game.
For Sanders, this endorsement comes amid a draft process that has been anything but conventional.
As ESPN reported on April 15, Sanders "enters the NFL with a perspective and profile different from any quarterback prospect before him." This is seemingly due to his upbringing around NFL legends—including his Hall of Fame father Deion—and his existing national profile through NIL deals and media attention.
The evaluation of Sanders has proven challenging for NFL teams. According to ESPN's reporting, one veteran NFL scout called him "a more difficult quarterback case study" than most prospects. Sanders' confidence has been both praised and questioned, with some teams reportedly finding him "brash and arrogant" in combine interviews.
Irvin firmly rejected comparisons between Sanders and less successful NFL quarterbacks, emphasizing Sanders' track record in crucial moments:
"You can't go find me a guy—only guys in the NFL now—that have failed in every big moment and say that's his comp when he has lived in big moments. So that's why I rebuke that," Irvin stated.
Colorado offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, who has NFL head coaching experience with the Giants and Browns, defended Shedeur Sanders' character to NFL personnel:
"He's a wonderfully unique human being. He's got a big heart," Shurmur told ESPN.
Shedeur Sanders himself has embraced the pressure that comes with being a high draft pick. At the NFL Combine, when asked why a team should draft him, Sanders confidently responded: "Because I know I'm the most guaranteed risk you can take."
With the NFL draft set for April 24, Shedeur Sanders continues to generate significant discussion among analysts, scouts, and former players.