Draft season is officially upon the football world as the NFL focuses on the 2025 Combine in Indianapolis. The Combine has become a signature offseason event where invited players will showcase their athleticism on a national stage while wearing compression shorts.
One of this year’s top prospects is Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The son of “Prime Time” led the Buffaloes to their first bowl game since 2020, but he’s quietly led the nation in an important QB stat.
Shedeur Sanders Enters Draft As NCAA All-Time Completion Percentage Leader
Sanders started his college career at Jackson State, where his father, Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, was head coach. He was named the starting quarterback as a true freshman and threw for 3,231 yards with 30 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
His sophomore season was even better as he completed 70.6% of his passes for 3,732 yards with 40 touchdowns and six picks. Jackson State won the SWAC in both seasons.
He then followed his father to the University of Colorado and was immediately named the starter. However, his junior season at Colorado was a roller coaster, throwing for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Those are exceptional numbers, and he started red-hot with the Buffaloes. Colorado posted a 3-0 record to start the season, and then ended up losing eight out of its final nine games.
It came with a price as well. All season, he took a beating behind a poor offensive line as the most sacked quarterback and missed the final game with a back injury.
Sanders was under a lot of pressure on him going into his final season at Colorado — a major bounce-back was needed for the quarterback’s draft stock. He responded well, flipping the Buffaloes’ record to 8-4 while throwing for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.
He also completed 74.0% of his passes as a senior and set the all-time FBS record for career completion percentage at 71.8%.
How did I not know this?
Shedeur Sanders holds the all time record for career completion percentage in college football. https://t.co/eFZFupr8b1 pic.twitter.com/k2kB3kJeJP
— Matt H. and the H is for Hall of Fame U (@SKOBUFFS22) February 10, 2025
Smashing the record is quite the feat given where he stood after his junior season. In 2023, Sanders completed 69.3% of his passes, which would be tied for 10th all-time. With how much the Colorado offensive line had to improve going into 2024, it wouldn’t have been surprising if his numbers stayed at the same level.
He resoundingly blew those numbers out of the water and solidified himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 draft class. Sanders had a brief, one-word response to owning the record…”Legendary.”
Legendary https://t.co/39u5IwBgF9
— Shedeur Sanders (@ShedeurSanders) February 11, 2025
The Colorado quarterback will have to continue being exceptional in the lead-up to the draft as PFSN has him slotted as the No. 3 overall pick in its latest mock. His next stop is the Combine, but he had an impressive showing at the East-West Shrine Bowl despite not playing in the game.
Multiple teams reportedly had productive meetings with Sanders at the Shrine Bowl, particularly the teams picking at the top of the draft.
PFF’s Trevor Sikkema said, “He didn’t do anything here during practice, but he was able to meet with all the teams. And specifically, we’ve been told that he met pretty extensively with the teams that are picking up the very top of the draft, the Tennessee Titans, the New York Giants, and the Cleveland Browns.”
Sanders also had strong media sessions at the Shrine Bowl, with Sikkema noting, “Even the little media session that we had here with him. He is very confident, understands where he comes from, understands that pressure, and understands being a part of the Sanders family. And so at least he embraced all that the right way.”
He’s done all the right things to present himself as a top quarterback prospect, and being the all-time leader in completion percentage might be the final step to sway decision-makers.
Where is Sanders Drafted in PFSN’s Latest Mock Draft?
In the latest mock draft released on February 11 by Owain Jones, Sanders is drafted by the New York Giants.
Jones says, “The Giants have seemingly developed a strong rapport with Shedeur Sanders after interviewing and spending time with him at the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl. The New York market appears to be a perfect fit for the Sanders brand, and the Giants are in desperate need of stability at the quarterback position.
With jobs on the line, this pick must be a quarterback if one of Sanders or Ward is on the board. Sanders has the skill set to effectively run an NFL offense in his rookie season. His game-manager play style contributes to impressive accuracy, the ability to make full-field reads, solid decision-making, and above-average athleticism.”