The NFL invited 329 prospects to this year’s Scouting Combine. Despite bringing 72 players that won’t be picked in April, the league still managed to leave a notable name out in the cold. Colorado Buffaloes safety Shilo Sanders, the lesser-known son of Deion Sanders, didn’t receive a Combine invitation.
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Players that haven’t attended the Combine have been drafted on plenty of occasions. However, Shilo – as one could guess based on his not being invited – is far from guaranteed to be selected. The Combine represented a real opportunity for him to raise his stock.
Shilo has attempted to mitigate some of this loss with his NIL earnings. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Shilo is paying the Combine’s 40-yard dash workers to come to him and record his times. Florio complimented Shilo on his “creative” idea.
At the same time, he believes not being tracked at Lucas Oil Stadium – where the Combine takes place – could be detrimental to his cause.
“I’ve been hearing about this for years. How do you compare the times at Lucas Oil Stadium… to the times elsewhere on different surfaces? It’s one of the sneaky little things… scouts will add a tenth [of a second] based upon where it is that a guy has run… if you really want to do it right, find a way to get access to Lucas Oil Stadium and do it there,” the analyst explained.
Florio admitted this was “easier said than done.” It’s unknown how Shilo could find his way onto the Combine’s surface while the event is occurring. Perhaps he can work something out behind the scenes. To do so, he just may need his father’s assistance. One way or the other, the Sanders’ are slated to have different than usual draft experiences.
Shilo and Shedeur Sanders enter the NFL Draft without agents
NFL rookie contracts have become cookie-cutter over the past decade, courtesy of draft slot values. The 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) instituted specific dollar amounts for almost every draft slot. Because of this, there’s not much wiggle room to negotiate money once you first enter the league. Despite this, most draft prospects sign an agent to handle things anyway.
Shilo and his brother, Shedeur, obviously don’t have similar experiences to other prospects. Coach Prime’s notoriety speaks for itself. As a result, they’ve elected to pass on signing agents. The prevailing thought is that their father will be handling those duties himself.
Caleb Williams, Lamar Jackson, and others have operated without agents in the past. They, though, didn’t enjoy the benefit of an NFL Hall of Fame parent in their corner.
Nobody will fight harder to get his sons what they deserve than Deion Sanders. With him helping out, Shilo and Shedeur will also save some money on their initial deals. It’s a win-win move for a tight-knit family looking to make waves on the NFL gridiron once again.
