After Further Review: Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado University

Former Colorado Buffalo standout quarterback (QB) Kordell “Slash” Stewart was exciting to see tearing up the gridiron on Saturdays. He was an athlete. There was nothing like it. The 90’s were simply the best decade of college football, ever. Now Colorado football appears to be back with their starting QB, Shedeur Sanders.

In the same exact era Stewart was doing his thing with the Buffaloes, Deion “Prime Time” Sanders was absolutely lighting up the NFL and Major League Baseball.

Now he calls himself Coach Prime as the Head Coach at Colorado where the name on the back of the QB’s jersey reads, “Sanders,” who is his son, and this is where these stories collide.

Background

The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Sanders transferred from Jackson State where his dad also coached him there.

While at the FCS school, where the talent pool runs only so deep, Sanders looked like a super raw prospect who put up some eye-popping statistics, 6,963 yards, 70 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions according to an article in Sports Illustrated.

He showed himself to be disciplined but took a few hits he shouldn’t have. Freezing at times in the face of the pass rush was a problem that showed up on film. From the start, it was apparent that he was learning.

After transferring and in only his first FBS action with CU, Sanders went 38-of-47 for 510 yards and 4 touchdowns. He and the Buffaloes found victory over TCU with those numbers, the National Champion runner-up from last season. According to AP News, his passing yardage was a school record and the most yardage by a QB since 1996 in his first FBS action.

Just how far they can go is anyone’s guess.

The Yanish Report

Average, athletically built body type. Just enough speed and mobility to extend plays, sometimes too long. Footwork rages along with some old-school backpedal-type drop-backs. Throws well on the run, rarely losing his vision of the field. Freezes. Takes some unnecessary sacks relying on his arm priorities. Will run in a few TDs. Classic upper body mechanics with a semi-quick release. Touch passer that will drop dimes by finding the soft parts of zone coverage. Locks onto receivers. Gets past the first read sometimes. Shows he can read defenses when his feet are calm, but when he is dancing around he can’t. Excellent completion percentage. Very catchable ball. Utilizes tight-ends (TE). Football IQ is sky-high. Leadership and respect from teammates stand out. Offense sets the pace. Heart and drive stand out like none other. Wins no matter where he is. Very well-schooled, like a veteran professional. Quiet confidence. Disciplined. Respected.

For the win

From a scouting standpoint, we have to go a bit simpler. The offense Sanders is running was specifically built to play at uber speed and win in the college ranks. The system is a custom-built Air Raid offense courtesy of the late and great Texas Tech Head Coach Mike Leach.

It has never translated to the next level, as many have tried.

While having a quick release and exemplary ball placement are two big steps in the right direction when projecting him to the NFL, it takes even more than that to succeed there. Meanwhile, despite Sanders’ aforementioned limitations, he certainly can look like a star at the college level. How he translates to the NFL is the concern.

I am rooting for him.

My BIG three questions

1. Against lesser competition was great, but what will happen going up against the PAC-12 and all the star QBs in this conference?

2. Can he stop freezing when the pass rush bears down?

3. Will he stay at Colorado University in 2024 or opt for the NFL?

How Sanders stacks up and game film reviewed

My 2024 NFL Draft Value: Fourth-Round

2022 Game Film Evidence: (Jersey No. 2 at Jackson State)

Texas Southern

Southern SWAC Championship

North Carolina Central Celebration Bowl

2023 Colorado (No. 2)

TCU

William Yanish III is a lifelong football fan. He’s from the little town of Crawford, Colorado. Along the way, he’s lived in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and Brookings, Oregon. Quarterback Joe Montana was his idol growing up. A little bit of CTE from life’s adventures killed his dreams as a football player. Now, he is an aspiring writer and Draft Analyst at FirstRoundMock.com. He’s a fanatic with a dream, which is coming true.