Scouting Profile: Shedeur Sanders - QB - Colorado
Sales Pitch: Confident rhythm thrower with the experience to be a Day 1 starter. Lacks the physical tools of a true franchise QB but brings a high floor with excellent accuracy and mental toughness.
*Gold Numbers Indicate NCAA Top-25 for 2024*
*Red Numbers Indicate NCAA Bottom-25 for 2024*
Scouting Report
Shedeur Sanders is a former 3-Star recruit from Texas. He began his career at FCS Jackson State where he was a two time SWAC champion, receiving All-Conference honors in both seasons. He then transferred to Colorado for the 2023 and 2024 seasons where he received All-Conference honors once again in both campaigns, taking home the Big-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2024.
Sanders is an experienced player with 50 starts spread across 4 years of play in 3 separate conferences. His IQ and mental toughness are exactly what teams look for in a franchise single caller. Despite getting hit at one of the highest clips in football in 2023 and 2024 he only missed one game and never quit on his team. Sanders is at his best as a thrower when operating in rhythm. He has a quick compact release and smooth feet to get the ball out on time and accurately in the 0-15 yard range of the field. His experience makes him a quick processor pre and post snap, consistently identifying matchups and leverage to deliver the ball on time, making him a difficult quarterback to blitz. Sanders confidently works through his progressions as a passer when operating within the confines of the offense. He displays the touch and anticipation to deliver the ball on time to his primary reads and set them up for yards after the catch. Sanders has a flexible arm with access to multiple angles and platforms making him effective as a thrower on the run and in traffic. He is willing to stand in and take hits both inside and outside the pocket as well, making big strides as a pocket navigator in 2024.
Sanders operates as a high floor QB due to his accuracy and mental processing skills, but lacks the tools typical of a franchise signal caller. He displays below average size with only adequate athletic ability. He is able to take what the defense gives him as a runner but lacks the juice to make plays consistently with his legs. It tends to be a major problem for a player who loved to create out of structure in college and was a big reason for some unsightly sack numbers during his time at Colorado. Sanders strength of refusing to quit is also his biggest flaw, as he struggles to know when to give up on plays. He often fades in the pocket under pressure and tries to make plays that are not there. Sanders processing and anticipation as a thrower falls off a cliff the longer he holds onto the ball and teams that can take away his initial reads are able to consistently force him into negative plays. Sanders arm talent is closer to average than good. He typically uses anticipation and timing to drive the ball outside the numbers not velocity. Tt limits his ability to deliver the ball late into windows as well as get throws off with pressure his face
Sanders profiles as a QB who will excel in a passing offense that leans on quick short passes. His toughness, accuracy and experience give him a high floor but he lacks the tools and playmaking to be a true difference maker. Sander projects mid to low end starter who should be taken early on Day 2 but will likely get pushed up in a weak class.