Analysts remain divided on Shedeur Sanders’ Draft prospects. While Skip Bayless believes the former Colorado QB is the favorite to go No. 1 overall, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein argues that he could fall as low as No. 29.
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Shedeur’s 2024 college season was impressive and impactful for the Buffaloes. He led Colorado to a 9–4 record and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl, finishing the season with 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdowns. The stats indeed paint a positive picture for Shedeur. However, analysts have time and again raised concerns about his pocket presence, speed, and accuracy since his debut with the Jackson State Tigers.
In order to fix these issues, he trained with Tom Brady in the 2022 offseason. And, at present, there seems to be more agreement regarding Shedeur’s athleticism and arm talent, which is a positive sign for the QB.
However, his off-field behavior remains a matter of concern. If the latest reports are to be believed, several NFL teams and QB coaches have concerns about his “broad fame and financial success before entering the league.”
Reacting to the criticism, veteran analyst Skip Bayless questioned why teams are hesitant about Shedeur. He weighed in on the QB coach who labeled Shedeur “arrogant” and went on to explain how Deion Sanders used to receive the same treatment during his playing days.
“There are surely going to be old-school white GMs, coaches, and owners who aren’t going to like the way Shedeur is because they never liked the way his father was. I’m talking about Neon Deion Prime Time, who was so brash and arrogant in such great ways because Deion Sanders, the cornerback, could back it up. So can Shedeur,” Skip explained on his YouTube channel.
During his playing days, Deion Sanders faced criticism for his “self-promotion and uncompromising attitude” in both his MLB and NFL stints. This was often attributed to his temperamental side, where he prioritized results and remained loyal to those who supported him, whether individuals or brands.
Additionally, last year, former Colorado safety Xavier Smith accused Coach Prime of “neglecting to get to know his players and destroying their confidence.” Several Colorado players, including Shedeur, defended Deion and explained that he was a team coach.
Meanwhile, it is evident from Skip’s reaction that he expects Shedeur to respond to the critics with his performance, like his dad Deion. In fact, Shedeur could have flipped the narrative last month if he had decided to throw at the NFL Combine 2025. However, Shedeur’s decision not to throw wasn’t unprecedented. QBs like Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels opted out for various reasons in the past.
So why are off-field aspects like his podcast and flashy watch collection getting so much attention? Skip thinks it’s because Shedeur is already a star and hence the recipient of unwarranted criticims.
“Some coaches aren’t going to want a franchise quarterback who already owns several exotic cars and has an NFL star-level jewelry collection. That’s because I’m pretty sure Shedeur was the highest-paid player in college football history. He was worth every penny of that NIL money to Colorado, which became the talk of the country. And here’s the point: Shedeur grew up with money,” Skip outlined.
With an impressive $6.5 million NIL valuation, Shedeur was indeed the most valuable college QB in terms of his price tag. But the NFL is a different ball game. For every Jayden Daniels success story, there’s a Caleb Williams reminder that excellence in college doesn’t always translate immediately to the pros. Hence, the million-dollar question in front of Shedeur is whether he will prove his critics wrong.
