On Friday, at the Colorado pro day, Shedeur Sanders presented himself as a strong contender to be amongst the preliminary picks for the quarterback position in the 2025 NFL draft. The spotlight was further intensified due to him being the progeny of Deion Sanders, a renowned Hall of Famer. This marked his first display of prowess post-season, which was witnessed by numerous NFL scouts and front office personnel. As of now, it’s highly predicted that Cam Ward from Miami will emerge as the top pick for the Tennessee Titans in the draft. Nevertheless, Sanders stands a solid chance of being selected in the first round.
Where exactly Sanders will find his place in the draft remains uncertain with three weeks still left for the event. However, his skill set makes him a potential candidate to kick off his career as a rookie starter. He remarkably led college football with an astounding statistics of 74% completion rate in 2024. His overall production, profile, and significant experience position him as the most prepared quarterback for the professional league in the current batch.
Sanders is notably consistent in terms of accuracy and the timing of his throws, and these qualities shone brightly on the Colorado fields on Friday. He demonstrated his skills in front of Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., Will Sheppard, and LaJohntay Wester, his teammates who, for over an hour that afternoon, watched him execute an impressive performance.
The session commenced with Sanders making short drops and swift throws within the compact zones of the field. He then progressed into five-step drops and unveiling intermediate routes. Initially, Sanders’ passes displayed slight wobble, but he soon found his rhythm with his intermediate throws.
Sanders’ optimum performance unfolds when he perfectly hits timing-based routes, an aspect that was evidently prominent during the workout. Several play-action passes also gave him the opportunity to exhibit his capabilities in full bloom. Eventually, he took the chance to highlight his arm strength with deeper shots.
Some of his best throws of the day included deep shots, particularly a noteworthy one to Horn Jr. that covered a distance of more than 40 yards in the air. This was later followed by a variety of throws, marking multiple in-breaking and out-breaking routes. One memorable highlight was a flawlessly timed ball to Sheppard on an out route.
The Colorado receivers, together with Sanders, concluded the day attempting a two-minute drill. While the team fell short of covering the length of the field, Sanders did manage to execute several impactful passes to advance the ball down the field.
When evaluating his overall performance, Sanders can be marked with a B+ grade. His initial shaky throws gradually transformed into precisely targeted passes, amply demonstrated in his play-action passes and moving throws. He also nailed several deep shots with remarkable accuracy, exhibiting his commendable arm talent.
Sanders seemed to carry a bulkier physique compared to his previous appearance at the end of the college football season, which appeared to have positively impacted the power behind his throws. Even though he still needs to better utilize his lower body while throwing, this performance served as a considerable improvement in the right direction.
He still holds the title of being the most ready-for-pro quarterback in the draft, and his impressive display during the workouts further confirmed his strong points. However, there are still concerns regarding his ability to handle pressure and his relatively average mobility. These factors limit the extent to which his show of skills could have influenced his pre-draft perception.