Deion Sanders’ son Shedeur wasn’t the only member of the family eligible for the draft. His other son, Shilo, played safety at Colorado under his father. Though he went undrafted, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked him up and added him to their training camp roster.
Since then, however, Shilo’s path has been uncertain. He’s currently fighting for a spot but finds himself on the roster bubble. With only five safety positions likely available, Sanders appears to be the odd man out as the sixth in line — though nothing is finalized yet.
Would the Cleveland Browns Bring in Another Sanders?
In a recent article, PFSN’s Scott DiBenedetto listed five potential landing spots for Sanders. Cleveland was one of them.
“Cleveland selected Sanders’ brother, Shedeur Sanders, in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft,” DiBenedetto wrote. “Shedeur has acquitted himself well during training camp and his one start in the preseason, but would the Browns want to bring in another member of the Sanders family?”
“The team’s safety room is anchored by Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman, who was an undrafted free agent in 2023,” DiBenedetto added. “Hickman is one of the projected starters, and that story should give Shilo motivation to work hard wherever he lands.”
Shilo was known as a big-hitting, if unrefined, defensive back coming out of Colorado. He’s always been a decent tackler and someone dependable at providing run support when brought down in the box.
He sometimes misses plays because he goes for the big hit instead of the technically sound tackle. Sanders’ pursuit angles are not the best, and he has shown hesitancy where he should be showing decisiveness.
The 25-year-old rookie also needs more work on his pass coverage skills. Sometimes, he looks a little lost and has to hustle to make up ground. He gets caught in the backwash on run plays more often than not.
The former Colorado star needs to be more aggressive in attacking a play and rooting through blockers to get to the ball carrier. Sanders has physical skills and is a bright guy, but he needs better spatial awareness and controlled aggression to make smart plays by instinct.
MORE:Â Why Did Shilo Sanders Go Undrafted?
If the Bucs suffer an injury in the defensive backfield, he’d probably stay on the roster. However, his best bet, whether he’s on the Bucs’ or another team’s practice squad, would be just to trust his instincts and make plays.
The deadline for NFL teams to cut down to their 53-man rosters is Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 10 a.m. ET.
Which Other Teams Could Pick Up Sanders if Bucs Cut the Rookie Safety?
Here are the other three teams DiBenedetto listed as potential landing spots for the undrafted rookie:
Denver Broncos
Denver’s defense was one of the league’s best in 2024, and it got better over the offseason. The Broncos added safety Talanoa Hufanga in free agency, and Patrick Surtain II already leads the secondary.
Shilo landing in Denver would make sense given his familiarity with the area. Folsom Field, Colorado’s home stadium, is a short drive to Empower Field at Mile High, the Broncos’ stadium. Shilo would be close to his father and would greatly benefit from being in one of the NFL’s best defensive systems.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints added Justin Reid and Julian Blackmon to be their starting safeties in 2025. While both are solid players, New Orleans isn’t expected to do much this season.
This could be Shilo’s best chance at cracking a game day roster, especially if he develops into a special teams demon.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have received a lot of negative publicity during the preseason due to their handling of Micah Parsons’ contract situation. The Dallas defense needs a major bounce back after taking a huge step backwards last season, but Shilo might not be able to fix things on his own.
Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson are the starting safety duo in Dallas, and the team added two undrafted free agents this spring. Shilo would have his work cut out for him to make the game day roster, but don’t put it past Jerry Jones to reach for some nostalgia by adding Shilo.
