Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been under the spotlight for deciding not to throw at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, opting instead to let his four years of film speak for itself while focusing on team interviews.
Many have criticized Sanders for this decision, arguing that he missed an opportunity to showcase his talent and solidify himself as the best quarterback in this year’s draft class. However, Hall of Famer Warren Sapp has a different take on the matter.
Warren Sapp Defends Shedeur Sanders’ Decision to Skip Throwing at the NFL Combine
The Colorado star has faced scrutiny from fans and analysts for not participating in passing drills at the 2025 NFL Combine. Many believe the competition for the top quarterback spot remains open between Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward, as neither has had a chance to prove himself as the clear-cut No. 1 prospect.
During an appearance on Three Pregame Networks, Sapp, who serves as a pass rush coordinator at Colorado, bluntly addressed the criticism surrounding Sanders’ decision to skip throwing at the Combine.
Sapp argued that the Combine is not designed to increase a player’s draft stock but rather to evaluate talent. He pointed out that Sanders has already proven his accuracy, completing 75% of his passes at Colorado despite playing behind a struggling offensive line.
In the 2023 college football season, Sanders was sacked more than 50 times, while Oregon’s Bo Nix was sacked just six times all season.
“The Combine is not designed for you to make money. And I saw all this, ‘Well, Shedeur is not going to throw,’ and there’s this one lady who says, ‘You know the biggest thing is this is another opportunity to showcase your talent and, well, you know, his arm strength, which I feel is his biggest weakness,'” Sapp said.
“And I’m like, yeah, you completed 75% of your passes with your weak arm. That’s how it goes, that’s what you do. And then you did it with a sh*** O-line and an OK O-line. Yeah, that’s that.” (5:15)
Sapp continued by sharing his overall thoughts on the Combine.
“The Combine is not to make money. The Combine is to find a talent,” Sapp said (7:04). “And then they’ll be like, ‘OK, we can get him in the third round or something.’ That’s all it’s about. I went from top five to No. 12. Somebody got a bargain and got Derrick Brooks out of it.”
The 2025 NFL Draft is set to take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin, from April 24-26.