Perhaps one of the most recognizable stars underneath the college football spotlight, where does Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders rank in the 2025 NFL Draft class with his scouting report?
Let’s take a closer look.
Shedeur Sanders’ Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’2″
- Weight: 215 pounds
- Position: Quarterback
- School: Colorado
- Current Year: Senior
Being the son of a Hall of Famer, on the surface, could imbue an unfair expectation on a player. But the younger Sanders has never seemed to struggle with playing under the shadow of his father, Deion Sanders. He’s thrived at forging his own path since high school.
At Trinity Christian High School in Dallas, Shedeur was a four-year varsity player who went 47-5 across his career. As a senior, he led his team to the TCAL National Championship while throwing for 3,702 yards and 43 touchdowns.
Out of high school, Shedeur originally committed to Florida Atlantic as a four-star recruit. But when his father signed on to become head coach of the Jackson State Tigers, the younger Sanders followed and became the starting quarterback as a true freshman.
MORE: Top QBs in the 2025 NFL Draft
Right away, the Sanders duo helped Jackson State enjoy one of its most successful two-year stretches in recent memory. The younger Sanders completed 613 of 896 attempts for 6,963 yards, 70 TDs, and just 14 interceptions across that stretch to go along with a 21-3 record.
After two years at Jackson State, Deion left to become head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes. And again, the younger Shedeur joined him. Colorado’s strong start and underwhelming finish were heavily documented in 2023, but amid the struggles of a losing season, the man under center was a bright spot.
In 11 games started in 2023, Shedeur completed 298 of 430 passes (69.3%) for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdown passes, and just three INTs.
The Buffaloes’ QB1 is now one of the faces of the 2025 NFL Draft cycle. He’s won and he’s produced, but can he join the Round 1 ranks?
Sanders’ Scouting Report
Strengths
- Has a decent overall size and frame density for the QB position.
- Has the arm strength to sustain velocity outside the numbers into the deep third.
- Can dice up defenses on seam and crossing patterns with high-velocity lasers.
- Quick-twitch pocket navigator who can generate instant torque and velocity on release.
- Has shown he can plant his front foot accurately and cleanly execute quick game passes.
- Has good pre-snap autonomy and command, calling out blitzes and adjusting protection.
- Can recognize single-high safeties pre-snap and freeze them at midfield with his eyes.
- Able to process coverage modulations and identify leverage advantages post-snap.
- Able to work through his progressions quickly left to right and land on his checkdown.
- Flashes the ability to anticipate windows over the middle and hit WRs on sit routes.
- Shows glimpses of solid pocket navigation, sidestepping exterior rushers with eyes up.
- Has shown he can keep his shoulders level while navigating and staying in phase.
- Has good general accuracy in spite of flawed footwork, consistently hitting the torso.
- Flashes high-level accuracy and situational precision on vertical bucket throws.
- Measured decision maker and game manager who rarely puts the ball in harm’s way.
Weaknesses
- Composite arm talent, while very good, falls short of the quantifiably elite mark.
- Doesn’t have elite speed, change of direction, or flexibility in the creation phase.
- At times, can be a tick late to process and trigger on route breaks.
- May need time to recalibrate after playing with heavy WR-option routes in 2023.
- Needs to quicken his internal clock and avoid taking unnecessary sacks.
- Can experience lapses in middle-of-field vision, inducing hesitation and inviting pressure.
- Too often locks out his front foot and hips on release, causing shoulder misalignment.
- Flat-footed nature and tall mechanics sometimes inhibit rotational drive in his base.
- At times, unnecessarily pedals with dropback footwork, forcing extra motion to correct.
- Can be more disciplined at depth on his dropback in order to avoid drifting too far back.
- Can improve his ball carriage to attain a more efficient energy load on his releases.
- Release point can be a bit inconsistent on short rhythm throws, affecting placement.
- Occasionally attempts to force ill-advised throws when he feels backside pressure.
- Doesn’t have great play strength against contact or when attempting to withstand sacks.
- Will be a 23-year-old rookie at the start of his first NFL season.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft cycle, Sanders grades out as a fringe top-100 talent on my board. He could end up rising into the Round 1 conversation, but he still has work to do before he reaches that point.
Arm strength and accuracy are two of the most distinct selling points on Sanders’ tape. The 6’2″, 215-pound passer generates easy velocity and can do some from multiple platforms. And while his mechanics are imperfect, he at times finds uncanny ways to hit his targets with good placement and touch.
Going further, Sanders’ processing — a trait honed across years of starting experience at the collegiate level — also appears to be a strength. Sanders can operate pre-snap, recognize defensive looks, adjust protections, and progress through reads post-snap — and he’s a measured decision-maker who protects the ball as well.
MORE: 2025 NFL Draft Big Board
Having said all this, Sanders’ game still has room for refinement. His lower-body mechanics and dropback footwork can be startlingly inconsistent, which can contribute to bouts of imprecision, as well as issues navigating the pocket and managing space. And while Sanders is a solid athlete, he’s visibly non-elite as a creative threat.
Additionally, beyond the football side of evaluations, there have been concerns about Sanders’ maturity and ability as a leader — concerns that were exacerbated by a social media saga involving Sanders and his father.
From the outside, any evaluation of Sanders’ character is unfortunately incomplete. But we can say this: If NFL teams and evaluators do their research and find reason to be concerned about Sanders’ character, Sanders isn’t a good enough prospect on the field yet to counteract those concerns.
Entering 2024, Sanders is a 2025 NFL Draft prospect with undeniable potential, but also a non-elite talent profile that only magnifies his imperfections and off-field questions. The climb to Round 1 will be a steep uphill venture — but one he might be able to pull off.