Shilo Sanders may be the elder between himself and brother Shedeur Sanders—Shilo is 25, Shedeur 23—but it’s clear that in the Sanders family, older doesn’t mean better. Shedeur is likely to be a top-10 or possibly even top-five pick at the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s been invited to this weekend’s NFL Scouting Combine. However, he will only participate in the interview portion, continuing the trend of top QB prospects foregoing on-field drills in Indy.
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While Shedeur has no interest in the drills at the Combine, Shilo would’ve loved the chance to participate. Unfortunately, a down year in 2024 meant that he did not even receive an invite to Indianapolis. Considering the fame and success of his father and younger brother, Shilo could have felt really sorry for himself after that perceived snub.
Instead, he’s embracing it. After he was informed he was not invited to the Combine, Shilo “brought the Combine” to him. In a recent video posted to his YouTube page, Sanders was shown working out with Zybek Sports equipment and employees. This is the same company that has been doing the 40-yard dash timing at the NFL Scouting Combine for the last 14 years.
“I didn’t get invited to the Combine, so they brought the Combine to me. (Laughs) This is Zybek Sports. These are the same exact timers they use at the NFL Combine,” the safety said.
One thing to note from that video is that while they showed him running, they did not share Shilo’s official time. That can only mean it was not good enough to show. Shilo clearly has his work cut out for him if he wants to hear his name called in Green Bay on April 24, 25, or 26.
There’s no doubt that he has the drive to improve his physical measurables over the next two months. As his YouTube video showed, he also has the means to give himself every possible advantage in his quest for an NFL roster spot. The fact that he was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine is not a good omen. But, there have been many unlikely NFL success stories that started the exact same way.
One of the more recent examples was Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill. His situation was slightly different from Shilo’s, however. Hill wasn’t invited to the Combine—which was a real shame for him considering his speed—but that was largely due to a previous domestic violence arrest.
Hill still performed at West Alabama’s Pro Day. Eventually, he was selected in the 5th round by the Kansas City Chiefs. He has racked up 11,098 receiving yards since then, most in the NFL.
A more apt comparison for Shilo might be former New England Patriots wideout Julian Edelman. He was not a highly touted prospect out of Kent State, and he too was snubbed by the Combine. However, he impressed at his own Pro Day, running a short shuttle time (3.92) that would have been the best at the Combine. He was selected in the 7th round and went on to win three Super Bowls. He also earned the MVP for his performance in Super Bowl 53.
Edelman was not highly sought after before or after the draft. However, he performed well at his Pro Day. After that, he simply worked hard on special teams for a few years until the Pats finally gave him his chance at receiver. Shilo Sanders could take a similar path to NFL success—he just needs to make sure he runs a 40-yard dash time he’s not so ashamed of that he keeps it a secret.
