The son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, Shilo, had a solid college career at South Carolina, Jackson State, and Colorado before getting his shot at the NFL. The 6’0″, 195-pound safety signed an UDFA contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is looking to produce as a rotational safety and special-teams player.
Sanders earned a heartfelt note from a longtime Bucs fan and WWE legend, Ric Flair, who called him the next best man to land in Tampa Bay after Tom Brady.
Ric Flair Calls Shilo Sanders the Next Best Man in Tampa Bay After Tom Brady
Flair gave his perspective on the safety’s personality after meeting with the Colorado alum.
Flair, a resident of Tampa, Fla., and longtime fan of the Buccaneers who also announced the team’s third-round pick at the 2025 NFL Draft, said Sanders was the nicest person he had met in his life. He even went on to suggest that the safety was the next big thing in Tampa Bay after Brady, who led the franchise to a Super Bowl victory in 2020.
“For A Man That Can Have An Ego Bigger Than God, You Are The Most Handsome & Nicest Man I Have Ever Met In My Entire Life,” Flair wrote on X. “@ShiloSanders, The Son Of @DeionSanders, Thank You For The Couple Of Hours We Had Together. In My Mind In Tampa Right Now, @TomBrady Is Gone, So You Are Absolutely The Man! WOOOOO!”
For A Man That Can Have An Ego Bigger Than God, You Are The Most Handsome & Nicest Man I Have Ever Met In My Entire Life. @ShiloSanders, The Son Of @DeionSanders, Thank You For The Couple Of Hours We Had Together. In My Mind In Tampa Right Now, @TomBrady Is Gone, So You Are… pic.twitter.com/5c1WgkAtGc
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) June 21, 2025
Sanders is best known for his physical style of play and is an aggressive downhill tackler who delivers big hits on opposing runners. In 2024, he led the Buffaloes with 70 total tackles and 55 solo tackles. He also forced four fumbles, which was second in the country. Against Colorado State, he nabbed an 80-yard pick-six.
Sanders finished his college career with 52 games, 218 tackles, six interceptions, seven forced fumbles, one sack, and 17 passes defended. He’s got a high football IQ and can play as both a deep free safety and closer to the line in run support. He’s an excellent finisher in zone coverage, but he must improve his man-to-man coverage.
If he becomes a better technical tackler instead of a big hit hunter, he could become a key part of the Bucs’ defensive backfield and perhaps help Flair rejoice in his third Super Bowl win with the Buccaneers.
