Shilo Sanders going undrafted in the 2025 NFL Draft came as little surprise. While he had a solid collegiate career at Colorado and showcased skills that could have warranted a seventh-round selection, he ultimately wasn’t chosen.
Several factors contributed to his draft slide, including his involvement in lawsuits and a bankruptcy filing — issues that created a negative public image. Despite these concerns, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed Sanders as an undrafted free agent.
Now, the real question is whether Shilo will be able to secure a spot on the Buccaneers’ final 53-man roster ahead of the 2025 season.
Will Shilo Sanders Make the Buccaneers’ 53-Man Roster?
Tampa Bay’s front office didn’t take much time to extend an offer to him soon after the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft. This lack of urgency seemed to indicate the Buccaneers have hopes for him but lack full confidence in his skills. Shilo might have to win the franchise over with a strong showing at rookie minicamp and training camp.
“With significant collegiate experience, a high football IQ and solid athletic ability for the safety position, Sanders is an effective coverage defender with a penchant for forcing fumbles,” PFSN’s Jacob Infante wrote in a scouting report detailing Sanders’s strengths.
“Experienced starting defensive back whose ample playing time over the years shows in how he processes in coverage,” Infante added, emphasizing how Shilo’s entering the NFL as an older prospect could benefit him.
During his two years at the University of Colorado, playing the safety position under his famous father, Deion, Shilo accumulated 137 total tackles along with one interception (pick-six) and five passes defended in 21 games for the Buffaloes. He also forced five fumbles and recorded three fumble recoveries.
Shilo’s skills, if refined properly, could translate well for the Bucs in the long term. That depends on how much depth head coach Todd Bowles wants in the secondary on his 53-man roster. Pro Bowler Antoine Winfield Jr. is the unquestioned leader in the safety room, with young hybrid defensive back Tykee Smith emerging as a disruptor.
Tampa Bay also has cross-trained safety Christian Izien who played multiple positions in 2024 due to the team’s multiple injuries. The Bucs went through 12 different secondary combinations last season. Jordan Whitehead, Rashad Wisdom, Jacob Parrish, Marcus Banks, and Kaevon Merriweather round out the depth chart.
Merriweather could see increased playing time in 2025, but Banks and Wisdom will be under the microscope. All of this makes the positional depth relatively shallow. When Bowles has a talented player like Shilo Sanders, chances are he would be inclined to give him a shot to develop a reliable long-term player for the team.
