Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders is one of the most prestigious prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft class. But how does his scouting report match up against other passers?
Sanders’ name recognition naturally draws eyes to his profile, but he also has plenty of merit as a potential early-round pick with his tape.
Shedeur Sanders’ Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 6’2″
- Weight: 215 pounds
- Position: Quarterback
- School: Colorado
- Current Year: Senior
Being the son of a Hall of Famer could imbue an unfair expectation on a player. But the younger Sanders has rarely struggled playing under the shadow of his father, Deion Sanders. He’s thrived at forging his own path since high school.
At Trinity Christian High School in Dallas, Shedeur was a four-year varsity player who went 47-5 across his career. As a senior, he reached the TCAL National Championship while throwing for 3,702 yards and 43 touchdowns.
Out of high school, Sanders originally committed to Florida Atlantic as a four-star recruit. But when his father signed on to become head coach of the Jackson State Tigers, the younger Sanders followed and became the starting quarterback as a true freshman.
Right away, the Sanders duo helped Jackson State enjoy one of its most successful two-year stretches ever. The younger Sanders completed 613 of 896 passes for 6,963 yards, 70 scores, and just 14 interceptions across that stretch, compiling a 21-3 record.
After two years at Jackson State, Deion left to become Colorado’s head coach. And again, the younger Shedeur joined him. The Buffaloes’ strong start and underwhelming finish were heavily documented in 2023, but amid the struggles of a losing season, the man under center was a bright spot.
In 11 starts in 2023, Sanders completed 298 of 430 attempts (69.3%) for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdown passes, and just three interceptions.
The beginning of the 2024 campaign hasn’t been without its trials and tribulations. A loss against Nebraska put the spotlight on some of Sanders’ inefficiencies inside the pocket, and inconsistent offensive line play has, at times, prevented him from finding a rhythm.
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Additionally, there’s the issue of Sanders’ character and maturity — some of which has come under fire. There was a social media incident in the spring that called Sanders’ leadership style into question, and a post-Nebraska press conference that lacked accountability also sent up alarms.
Nevertheless, Sanders remains in the mix to be one of the top quarterbacks taken in the 2025 NFL Draft. If he can end the season on a high note and avoid straying off-course, it’ll help his chances even more.
The Buffaloes’ QB1 is one of the most recognizable faces of the 2025 NFL Draft cycle. Sanders has won, and he’s produced, but can he join the Round 1 ranks?
Sanders’ Scouting Report
Strengths
- Has a decent overall size and frame density for the QB position.
- Has the arm strength to drive velocity outside the numbers into the deep third.
- Can dice up defenses on seam and crossing patterns with high-velocity lasers.
- Quick-twitch pocket navigator who can generate instant torque and velocity on release.
- Has shown he can plant his front foot accurately and cleanly execute quick game passes.
- Has good pre-snap autonomy and command, calling out blitzes and adjusting protection.
- Can recognize single-high safeties pre-snap and freeze them at midfield with his eyes.
- Able to process coverage modulations and identify leverage advantages post-snap.
- Able to work through his progressions quickly left to right and land on his check down.
- Flashes the ability to anticipate windows over the middle and hit receivers on sit routes.
- Shows glimpses of solid pocket navigation, sidestepping exterior rushers with eyes up.
- Has shown to keep his shoulders level while navigating and staying in phase.
- Has good general accuracy in spite of flawed footwork, consistently hitting the torso.
- Flashes high-level accuracy and situational precision on vertical bucket throws.
- Measured decision-maker and game manager who rarely puts the ball in harm’s way.
Weaknesses
- Composite arm talent, while very good, falls short of the quantifiably elite mark.
- Doesn’t have elite speed, change of direction, or flexibility in the creation phase.
- At times, can be a tick late to process and trigger on route breaks.
- May need time to recalibrate after playing with heavy WR-option routes in 2023.
- Needs to quicken his internal clock and avoid taking unnecessary sacks.
- Can experience lapses in middle-of-field vision, inducing hesitation and inviting pressure.
- Too often locks out his front foot and hips on release, causing shoulder misalignment.
- Flat-footed nature and tall mechanics sometimes inhibit rotational drive in his base.
- At times, unnecessarily pedals with dropback footwork, forcing extra motion to correct.
- Can be more disciplined at depth on his dropback in order to avoid drifting too far back.
- Can improve his ball carriage to attain a more efficient energy load on his releases.
- Release point can be a bit inconsistent on short rhythm throws, affecting placement.
- Occasionally zeroes in on initial targets and attempts to force ill-advised throws.
- Doesn’t have great play strength against contact or when attempting to withstand sacks.
- Will be a 23-year-old rookie at the start of his first NFL season.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Entering the 2025 NFL Draft cycle, Sanders grades out as a top-100 talent and a potential Day 2 selection. There’s still time for him to rise into the Round 1 conversation — especially in a weak QB class — but he himself has more to work on.
Arm strength and accuracy are two of the most distinct selling points on Sanders’ tape. He generates easy velocity and has a degree of off-platform freedom. And while his mechanics are imperfect, he can find uncanny ways to hit targets with good placement and touch.
Going further, Sanders’ processing — a trait honed across years of starting experience at the collegiate level — is also a relative strength. Sanders can operate pre-snap, recognize defensive looks, adjust protections, and progress through reads post-snap — and he’s a measured decision-maker who protects the ball more often than not.
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Despite this, Sanders can still seek further refinement. There are times when his lower body mechanics and dropback footwork lack control. This problem (sometimes exacerbated by poor OL play) can lead to bouts of situational imprecision.
To that end, Sanders can also be inconsistent in navigating the pocket and managing space. And while he’s a solid athlete, he lacks an elite mobility profile and is restricted by notable limitations as a creative threat.
Additionally, beyond the football side of evaluations, there have been concerns about Sanders’ maturity and ability as a leader — concerns that were exacerbated by a social media saga involving Sanders and his father and his post-game presser in Week 2.
From the outside, any evaluation of Sanders’ character is unfortunately incomplete. But we can say this — if NFL teams and evaluators do their research and find reason to be concerned about Sanders’ character, he’s not a good enough prospect on the field yet to counteract those concerns.
Sanders remains an intriguing prospect with clear potential, but his non-elite raw talent profile only magnifies his operational imperfections and off-field question marks. The climb to Round 1 will be a steep uphill venture — but one he might be able to pull off.
