Former ESPN analyst Jason Whitlock believes that some of Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders’ off-field interests may lead to him underachieving in the NFL. While discussing the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft on the “Fearless With Jason Whitlock” show, Whitlock compared Sanders to former NFL MVP Cam Newton, a player who, according to Whitlock, had his career derailed due to the desire to be more than an NFL QB.
Despite the claims by Whitlock, Sanders had a phenomenal campaign last year with the Buffaloes while still partaking in those external interests. He had 4,134 passing yards, 41 total touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and an impressive completion percentage of 74%.
What Did Jason Whitlock Say About Shedeur Sanders?
Whitlock made clear that he was concerned about Sanders’ non-football interests heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. Citing Sanders’ interest in becoming a rapper, Whitlock detailed how he saw a comparison between Sanders and Newton. The full video can be found on Whitlock’s official YouTube channel.
“It doesn’t matter how physically talented you are. There will never be anyone more physically talented than Cam Newton at the quarterback position, or maybe any position in football. And, because he wasn’t serious about his craft and he wanted to be an icon and he didn’t want to work on the details and the fundamentals, he underachieved as an NFL player and I think that’s a legitimate fear of Shedeur’s,” Whitlock stated.
Will Sanders Succeed in the NFL?
Considering Sanders has yet to be officially drafted or join an NFL team, it is premature to question the work ethic of one of the top QB talents available in the upcoming April draft. To this point, Sanders has proven that he is committed to learning and getting better as a leader and quarterback, something on display during this past year for the Buffaloes.
Though Newton’s career did end earlier than many expected, he was during his prime, arguably the most exciting and most talented QB in the entire NFL. He won the 2015 Most Valuable Player Award and made a Super Bowl appearance with the Carolina Panthers.
In PFSN’s latest 7-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft, Sanders was selected No. 2 overall by the Cleveland Browns. Though Cleveland may not be the most exciting option available to Sanders, there is talent in Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku on the offense, a unit which are in need of strong quarterback play.
While only time will tell how his career turns out, Whitlock is evidently concerned with Sanders’ off-field aspirations heading into the 2025 NFL Draft.