Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is a projected top-three prospect in this year’s NFL Draft. He is also one of the four players from Coach Prime’s team invited to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Sanders led the program to a 9-4 campaign during the 2024 season and also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
However, despite being invited to the NFL Combine, NFL scouts and experts are divided over Sanders’ decision to skip the workouts at Indianapolis, but one three-time Super Bowl champ supports the quarterback’s decision to do so.
Michael Irvin Backs Up Shedeur Sanders’ Decision To Skip NFL Combine
On Tuesday’s episode of “Speak” on FS1, former Super Bowl champ Michael Irvin shared his thoughts on the Colorado quarterback’s decision to not participate in the NFL Combine. This is not the first time a notable player has decided to opt out of the event. Jayden Daniels and Joe Burrow are a few other quarterbacks that have done the same in the past.
While speaking about Sanders’ situation, Irvin supported his decision by talking about the changes in the landscape of the NFL Combine in the past few years.
He also talked about how throwing at the NFL Combine is different than throwing in college. Irvin feels that Sanders already has a glowing résumé and anything he does now will be used against him.
“Things have changed, and I certainly understand this situation more than any,” Irvin said. “… Quarterbacks have said, ‘I’m only coming,’ and a lot of quarterbacks have done that; ‘I’m not going to throw.'”
“… It’s different when you’re throwing to a whole bunch of strangers that you never even knew and you’re throwing on a football field that you’ve never went on when you’re in Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward’s categories, where whatever happens in Indy, they’re going to use to only knock you down because you’re already at the top. There is no going any higher,” Irvin continued.
“So now I want to make all of these elements as conducive to me as I can. So, yeah, bringing that thing back and saying ‘I’m going to do it at Colorado’ is what [Sanders] should do.”
The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine started on Feb. 27 and will end on March 2. Sanders has specified that he will focus on team meetings and interviews during the event at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Chad Johnson Supports Sanders’ Decision To Not Throw at NFL Combine
Irvin is not the only one who believes that the Colorado quarterback made the right decision. On the latest episode of “Nightcap,” former NFL star Chad Johnson also supported Sanders not participating in the NFL Scouting Combine.
Johnson also stated that the quarterback already has a lot of film for scouts to properly assess his talent. He also mentioned that if scouts want to watch him throw, then they should attend the Colorado Pro Day.
“Listen, there’s enough film out there on Shedeur Sanders. We know he can throw the ball. There’s no need to throw in front of the scouts. Throw where it’s most important,” Johnson said.
“If the scouts want to see you throw, look at the film. Turn it on. You have a lot of film from Jackson State to Colorado to high school. We know what he can do. We know he can do with his arm. We’ve seen him do it before.”
Sanders and Ward are the projected top two quarterback picks this year in the NFL Draft. The only question that remains is which of them will be the first one off the board.