Deion Sanders and Shedeur Sanders have already set in motion a gripping college football storyline in 2024 after making the move from Jackson State to Colorado. A later chapter has been set aside for the younger Sanders, however, who may soon follow his father’s footsteps to the NFL. Is he a prospect worth watching in the years to come?
Who Is Shedeur Sanders?
It’s not hard to be curious about the NFL Draft aspirations of Shedeur Sanders. The son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders has been a hot name ever since emerging as a four-star QB recruit in the 2021 class.
Sanders’ family name alone draws plenty of attention to him, but the younger Sanders has been successful on an individual level through both high school and college. In high school, he helped lead his team to multiple state championships. In college, it’s been the same story.
Sanders led Jackson State to its first Celebration Bowl in 2021 after winning the SWAC East. And on an individual level, he won the Jerry Rice FCS National Freshman of the Year award. This past season, he was the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year after completing a school-record 341 of 483 passes (70.6%) for 3,732 yards, 40 touchdowns, and just six picks.
He’s already well-established on the college football stage. But as established as he is, 2023 is the first season that Sanders will truly be draft eligible as a true junior. Looking at what he’s done already, is a declaration for the 2024 NFL Draft on the radar?
Sanders’ 2024 NFL Draft Stock Depends Heavily on 2023
The recruiting pedigree, stats, and individual honors all lean heavily in favor of Sanders. He has talent and production on his side, as well as NFL heritage. But his draft evaluation will be a more complicated endeavor, going past the conceptual factors.
Talent-wise, there’s a lot to like about Sanders, and that’s something that was reflected during the high school recruiting process. He has a sturdy, athletic frame at 6’2″, 215 pounds, and is a solid runner. He’s more of a linear runner in space, but he has enough athleticism to work the pocket and extend when needed.
At its best, Sanders’ arm talent certainly pops. He can rip throws with high-end velocity in the short-range especially, and he’s flashed the ability to drive passes into tight windows with velocity down the field and outside the numbers. His arm strength isn’t elite, as his deep throws can stall on him, but he has more than enough talent to work with.
For Sanders, his 2024 NFL Draft stock will be largely dependent on his performance at Colorado in 2023. At Jackson State, he proved himself to be a capable distributor with passable albeit non-elite raw talent and flashes of excellent pocket presence and anticipation. But Sanders’ mechanics, in particular, remain a major work in progress.
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Too often, Sanders appears upper-body dominant as a thrower. His footwork can be uncontrolled and staggered, resulting in an inconsistent base on release. At times, his base will be too wide, preventing full hip rotation. This not only stalls passes but also causes variance with his release point.
In 2023, Sanders will need to not only refine his mechanics but also adjust to Pac-12 competition — a notable step up from the SWAC. Talented defenses like Oregon, Utah, and Washington State will stress his abilities and force him to create and elevate his team more often.
If he undergoes the necessary development, Sanders could be a Day 2 prospect as early as the 2024 NFL Draft. But his mechanics need plenty of work, and this move will be a big adjustment for him. Taking all this into consideration, it’s reasonable to assume that Sanders’ time as a prospect might not come until 2025.
Even at his maximum, Sanders’ ceiling isn’t as high as 2024 NFL Draft prospects like Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. He doesn’t have blue-chip talent, but he does have enough to be a potential starter or quality backup if he incubates it with the proper growth.
Why Did Shedeur Commit to Jsu?
It’s a question that comes up often when referencing Sanders. Why did a four-star recruit and two-time state champion QB commit to Jackson State when four and five-star recruits are so often reserved for the Power Five programs?
As it turns out, the answer is in the question. One word: Sanders. Shedeur teamed up with his father at Jackson State, who became the head coach of the Tigers ahead of the 2020 season. The elder Sanders went 4-3 in a shortened 2020 campaign, then swiftly brought his son in as the starting QB in 2021.
The younger Sanders brought immediate success as Jackson State’s QB, helping the Tigers to an 11-2 record and an 8-0 record in the SWAC East. His decision to come to Jackson State ultimately came down to family ties and familiarity, but the results made it worth the risk for the four-star talent.
Where is Shedeur Sanders now?
Sanders now finds himself at the FBS Power Five level after two years of success and production with Jackson State. Much like his arrival at Jackson State, he and his father remain a package deal at Colorado.
Late in 2022, it was revealed that Sanders, after building up the Jackson State program, would be accepting a position as the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. Shortly after, a flurry of Jackson State players entered the transfer portal, and Sanders was an expected inclusion.
On December 21, Sanders made his transfer decision official, following his father to Colorado and the Pac-12. Together, they’ll look to resurrect a program that’s consistently struggled to sustain growth and potentially capitalize on an expanding CFB playoff field.
In the process, Shedeur Sanders may also add an important section to his 2024 NFL Draft résumé. It remains to be seen whether he’ll be ready to declare by the end of next season. He has work to do and things to prove — but he’ll have plenty of help, both from the transfer portal and from his head coach.