Shedeur Sanders NFL Draft buzz has already gone way, way too far

Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders, son of head coach Deion Sanders, is the betting favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. We are faaaaar out, so such factoids merit a grain of salt. That said, the Sanders hype train has already run off the rails in league circles.

The 2025 QB class has been considered weak for years. Now, however, Sanders appears to be encouraging some reevaluation from scouts. Colorado won four games last season, but Sanders impressed by completing 69.3 percent of his passes for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns, and three interceptions in 11 starts. It was his first season playing D-1 football.

Here is what one NFL talent evaluator allegedly told The Washington Post...

"He was QB1 for me if he came out this year. You have to manage him a little differently, and Deion is going to be heavily involved … so you have to be prepared to deal with that bullshit. But I love watching that kid play. He's a born winner."

Queue up "oh, brother" memes.

NFL scouts claims Shedeur Sanders is better NFL Draft prospect than Caleb Williams

Look, I'm a fan of Sanders. The dude has major arm talent. Some of his vertical throws last season were wondrous to behold, and it doesn't hurt to descend from NFL royalty. Deion Sanders is one of the greatest athletes to ever live. Shedeur grew up in a competitive environment with brothers who all play football. There's a lot to like. All the numbers are there too, even if Pac-12 defenses are notoriously fickle. Sanders will get a new test this season when the Buffs migrate to the Big 12

That said, to call Sanders the best QB prospect in 2024 — with Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels right there — is patently absurd.

Sanders has the strength and accuracy to succeed at the NFL level, but his lack of mobility and choppy fundamentals are a concern. Sanders has wonky footwork and he was sacked 52 times last season. A large portion of the blame there lies with the Colorado O-line, but Sanders needs to get the ball out quicker and make the simple throws.

Moreover, it's impossible to discuss Shedeur without discussing Deion Sanders and the social media antics that have shrouded them. Deion talks a big game. That is fine, but when he starts pushing players out of his program and destroying the confidence of college kids, it's a bad look. When Shedeur takes to X (Twitter) to call aggrieved former Buffs "very mid," that is also a bad look.

Too many draft prospects are dinged for absurd "character" reasons, like Spencer Rattler falling to the fifth round because he made a few ill-advised comments on TV in high school. But, Shedeur will need to prove that he can keep his head on his shoulders and lead the men around him at the next level. Quarterbacks need to uplift teammates, not tear them down.

In the end, however, the absurdity of that scout's comment is rooted not in Sanders' shortcomings, but in the superiority of Caleb Williams, who has all the arm talent a QB could want, as well as NFL-ready size and mobility. He's one of the best running QBs in recent memory, with the live-wire speed to evade tackles in the open field, work his way out of jams, and improvise like few others. Sanders is great, but he's a rigid pocket passer who took a lot of sacks last season. There are levels to this.

Sanders could end up being the No. 1 pick, but let's pump the breaks on the hype train a wee bit.