Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders had clear guidance for his sons, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and safety Shilo Sanders, and any other prospect ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
While appearing on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Coach Prime revealed how the media and NFL teams will spread criticism and “say you’re garbage” in the lead-up to the draft so that your draft stock falls right to them.
As with most top prospects at this point in the season, fans, media personalities, and NFL franchises discuss and critique every on-field play, off-field decision, and media interview. As a result, Sanders has urged the upcoming group of prospects not to get involved in the process and just let it handle itself.
Deion Sanders’ Message to NFL Prospects
Sanders told Colbert that NFL teams will do anything in their power, including criticizing the individual, to ensure that the player they want drops in the draft and falls right to them.
“It’s a game. Like, all the way until the draft, this team is going to say you’re garbage, they don’t want you, you’re the worst thing ever, because they want you to fall in to their laps. So, I’ve guided my kids and others and said look, don’t believe nothing they say right now because it’s the assault. They are going to assault you and say you are not this and not that because they want you to come,” he explained.
Sanders then outlined what potential draft picks should do when things like this begin to happen.
“Don’t believe that stuff, don’t get into it, don’t go back and forth in the media, just relax and just let it ride because it is going to be all right,” he added.
Sanders’ Guidance Ahead of 2025 NFL Draft
Coach Prime has been an important mentor to Shedeur, Shilo, and fellow Buffaloes player Travis Hunter while coaching them at Colorado. Furthermore, in recent weeks, all three players have been at the forefront of media criticism about their play and whether their skills would translate to the professional level from college.
However, in Pro Football Network’s latest 7-round 2025 NFL Mock Draft, all three players were drafted to NFL franchises. Shedeur led the way being drafted No. 1 overall by the Tennessee Titans, while Hunter was selected No. 4 overall by the New England Patriots, with Shilo went No. 229 overall to the Carolina Panthers.