Football runs deep in the Sanders family, a legacy started by Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. Now the head coach at Colorado, Deion has seen all three of his sons play the game at some level — with his younger two, Shilo Sanders and Shedeur Sanders, both suiting up for the Buffaloes under his watch.
Both declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, but the spotlight has mostly been on the quarterback, Shedeur. Still, Shilo’s resume deserves a closer look as he tries to carve out his own path to the league.
Everything to Know About Shilo Sanders
Shilo Sanders, Deion’s middle child, was born on Feb. 9, 2000. He played high school football at Trinity Christian in Texas, where he lined up at safety, wide receiver, and return specialist. With Deion serving as the team’s offensive coordinator, Shilo posted 45 rushing yards and a touchdown, plus 13 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns. On defense, he added four tackles, one pass deflection, five interceptions, and a fumble recovery.
He received offers from more than 10 schools and committed to the University of South Carolina. After two seasons and 23 total tackles, he entered the transfer portal and joined Jackson State, where Deion had taken over as head coach. When Coach Prime left for Colorado, Shilo followed and went on to post the two best seasons of his college career.
In 2024, Shilo recorded 67 total tackles (44 solo), one sack, and one forced fumble. The year before, he finished with 70 tackles (55 solo) and four forced fumbles — showcasing his aggressive style and playmaking instincts from the safety position.
While Shedeur has dominated headlines as a potential first-round pick, Shilo has quietly drawn praise for his physicality and ability to read routes. However, some scouts have flagged concerns about missed tackles and inconsistent footwork.
It’s far from guaranteed that Shilo hears his name called during the draft. Even Deion was honest about what lies ahead.
“Shilo has a situation where he gotta work his butt off to go where he wants to go, you know, whatever round that’s gonna be,” Sanders said on the “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast.
“But he’s always had it tough … He’s resilient, though, so God has always worked with him that way. He’s gonna have to really go get it.”
Shilo was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and is currently projected by most analysts as a late-round pick or a priority undrafted free agent.
He’s gone undrafted in most seven-round mocks, including many from PFSN. However, Ben Rolfe projected the Dallas Cownoys to select him with pick No. 247 in the 2025 NFL Draft in his most recent seven-round mock draft.