Shedeur Sanders Scouting Report

By: Michael Higgins

(Image courtesy of Nick Tre. Smith/IMAGN Images)

School: Colorado

Class: Senior

Position: QB

HT: 6’2

WT: 215 lbs

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Background: Shedeur Sanders is originally from Dallas, Texas, where his father played for the majority of his career. With his father being an NFL Hall of Fame member and a college coach, he comes from an extensive football background. Sanders attended Trinity Christian School in Cedar Vill, Texas. He was only a 3-star prospect but was recruited by a handful of big-time schools such as Alabama and Baylor. These recruiting efforts by championship contenders didn’t stop Sanders from committing to play for Jackson State, where his father was the head coach.

College: Despite playing at an FCS school, Sanders established himself as a top quarterback in the country during his two seasons at Jackson State. He earned the Jerry Rice FCS Freshman of the Year. He was by far the most impactful FCS player in both of his seasons there, leading Jackson State to an era of dominance that put a spotlight on HBCU football. With the success came opportunity. Both Deion and Shedeur have gone to Colorado for the 2023 season. Lighting it up in the PAC 12 against tougher competition only caused his draft stock to skyrocket. Shedeuer had an excellent tenure at Colorado and led them to a playoff push in his final season. Sanders was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and was given conference First Team honors. 

Strengths: Being the son of one of the greatest athletes ever, there is no denying Shedeur’s athleticism. He is a true dual-threat quarterback that needs to be monitored at all times, but especially when a play breaks down. He started his career in FCS at Jackson State, his production was met with questions about his ability to compete at a high level. After arriving at Jackson State, he has shown flashes of greatness, but has also had some low points. He has good poise within the pocket and can sense pressure. He seems to have a 6th sense when he is in the pocket where he can feel pressure and act accordingly without actually seeing the pocket breakdown around him. He has not been protected by any good offensive lines throughout his career but still manages to make plays. There are significantly less coverage sacks made against Sanders due to his ability to extend plays behind the line of scrimmage before deciding if he needs to run the ball. It is also worth noting that Shedeur has displayed exceptional character and leadership as a quarterback, uplifting his teammates and being one of the most respected leaders in the country.

Weaknesses: Shedeur got to the PAC 12 and lit the world on fire in his first start, but since then, there have been more holes poked in his game as the season wore on. His inconsistencies show in his accuracy at every area of the field. However, the deeper the passing attempt is, the more inconsistent it becomes. Lastly, one of his glaring weaknesses is his tendency to turnover the football. When on the run he does not secure the ball well enough and commits too many fumbles. He also makes some careless throws into traffic that should not be attempted.

Conclusion: Shedeur Sanders has the potential to be special if he can take all of his strengths and patch up the holes in his game. Consistent accuracy will be the biggest key to an easy transition to the NFL game.

Scheme Fit: West Coast

Ideal Role: Developmental QB

Best Team Fits: NYJ, LV, NYG

Player Comparison: Marcus Mariota

Draft Grade: Round 2 (82.6)