NFL legend and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders is well known in the football world for good reason. Now, after his playing days, he’s making sure people pay attention to his sons, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, as they begin their NFL journeys.
Shedeur was a big talking point during the 2025 NFL Draft after sliding to the fifth round. He’s still getting a lot of attention now that voluntary workouts are underway. But his brother, Shilo, has flown under the radar until his new head coach had some impressive things to say about him.
Todd Bowles Praises UDFA Safety Shilo Sanders
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles is heading into his fourth season with the franchise. With workouts starting, big roster decisions are coming. One of those decisions concerns Sanders, who signed with the team as an undrafted free agent.
It is rare to hear the head coach spotlight an underdrafted free agent, but with the Sanders’ family comes media attention. Bowles had this to say regarding what he wants to see from Sanders.
“Like the rest of the safeties, he’s very intelligent. He’s very loud. You can hear him today, making calls and everything, so he has a good grasp of things Day 1,” Bowles said, praising Sanders.
“There [were] about three or four of them that did. He was one of them, but you have to make plays in pads. That’s what it comes down to – knowing what to do and then doing it consistently, and constantly getting better every day,” he added.
Todd Bowles is always hesitant to offer too much praise at Bucs rookie minicamp but had this to say about safety Shilo Sanders: pic.twitter.com/cjUyVTrt2I
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) May 10, 2025
There’s still time before Bowles and the Bucs have to make a final decision, but the rookie safety has taken a good first step.
For undrafted free agents, things like work ethic and leadership often matter as much as pure talent. With so few roster spots and much competition from drafted players, coaches watch closely for attitude, effort, and communication. It’s not always about having first-round skills. Sometimes, it’s about showing the team you’ll do whatever it takes to help.
It sounds like Sanders has impressed early. If he can continue to impress Bowles with his consistent leadership while improving his play on the field, a shot on the 53-man roster in Tampa Bay might be in the cards for the son of the legendary cornerback.
Bowles’ early praise could be a good sign. But it’s common for UDFAs to get noticed in early workouts. The real test comes in camp. Sanders must keep improving to stick around when the real hitting starts.
While his brother garners all the attention with the Sanders name, Shilo has put his head down and worked, much to the satisfaction of his new head coach. Whether Sanders can continue to improve and impress enough to compete for a spot alongside the 53 is yet to be seen. Training camps will be the ultimate opportunity for Sanders in his hopes of being a regular in the NFL.