At first, Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders dodges the question. Earlier in the day, Sanders is about to walk away, but hears my question and asks me to repeat it.
“What went into the decision to return to Colorado versus heading to the NFL?” I ask.
Sanders smiles, pauses and looks at one of the Colorado staffers before indicating he would address the question later. Now, “Coach Prime” Deion Sanders sits in the stands of Allegiant Stadium like a parent waiting for Little League practice to end.
It is day two of Big 12 Football Media Days in Las Vegas, and his son is the star of the show. Coach Prime has already conducted his own version of a Ted Talk, but his quarterback is still answering questions.
Sanders stops for another impromptu media session, even after sitting at the podium minutes ago. We stand on the Las Vegas Raiders field where Sanders could eventually be playing games as an NFL quarterback.
Sanders explains his thought process in skipping the 2024 NFL draft and returning to Boulder, Colorado. The star quarterback acknowledged there are things about his game that need improvement before heading to the NFL.
“Write down the pros and write down the cons. What’s the cons of me coming back?” Sanders told Heavy Sports in an exclusive July 10, 2024, interview during Big 12 Football Media Days. “You got another year of college. I would say, you have another year to grow. You have more time to grow.
“You don’t want to go there too early [when] you’re not ready. I got things I got to improve on before I’d even be ready to think about going there.”
Could Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders Be the 1st Quarterback Selected in the 2025 NFL Draft?
The debate is already raging on Sanders’ outlook as a pro prospect. Sanders did not feel the effects in the jump up in competition from Jackson State to Colorado in 2023.
The quarterback threw for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns and 3 interceptions while completing 69.3% of his passes last season. Sanders also added 4 touchdowns on the ground. Despite a less than ideal offensive line, Sanders was still able to have success and display his accuracy.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler listed Sanders as the No. 2 rated quarterback in his early 2025 NFL draft rankings, just behind the Georgia Bulldogs‘ Carson Beck.
Shedeur Sanders Is Drawing Comparisons to Bengals Star QB Joe Burrow
ESPN’s Jordan Reid reported that Sanders is receiving comparisons to three quarterbacks when talking to NFL teams: Joe Burrow, Geno Smith and Tyrod Taylor. If an NFL team with the No. 1 pick views Sanders as similar to Burrow, it is hard to imagine the team not drafting him. But the opinion on Sanders is far from a consensus.
“He’s Burrow because they’re just never fazed in those high-pressure situations and plays with swag,” an AFC North area scout told Reid. “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.”
The Raiders, Giants & Cowboys Are Being Labeled as the Top Landing Spots for Shedeur Sanders
Sanders could be returning to Allegiant Stadium as the Raiders’ next QB1. Reid mentioned the Raiders as the top fit for Sanders while also floating the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys as possible landing spots.
“The Raiders and Giants seem to be the most logical destinations for Sanders if he proves to be a first-round talent,” Reid wrote in an August 2, story titled “2025 NFL draft: Scouts on Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders.” “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.”
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Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders Breaks Silence on NFL in Exclusive Interview