Shedeur Sanders Melts Down vs. No. 17 BYU

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders did not opt out of the Alamo Bowl against No. 17 BYU, and I give him credit for playing in this day of bowl game opt-outs.

When asked why he was willing to participate in this game, Sanders responded, “We may not get to ever have a chance to play again together on the same team,” he said. “So it’s about cherishing the moment. It’s about knowing this is the final collegiate game. And each and every game we left it all out there. So there’s no regret. I don’t never want to go anywhere with regret,” according to USA Today.

That article stated that Sanders did have additional insurance in case of injury, but the threat of injury turned out to be the least of the issues for Sanders, despite having a couple of scares. The Buffaloes dropped the game 36-14. Looking back, Sanders may have wished he opted out, as the game did not do his draft stock any favors.

WATCH FULL GAME HERE

What did Sanders look like on the film?

Timid. Conservative. Reactive. Unsure.

Sanders was back on his heels from the first drive as the level of competition got dialed up. The Cougars knocked Sanders off balance early, literally, overwhelming him with the speed of their pass rush, which led to three first-half sacks.

The Cougars kept Sanders out of rhythm as he looked like a kid hesitantly dipping their toes into a cold outdoor hotel swimming pool for most of the game. Even his leading receiver, Travis Hunter, appeared to be frustrated with Sanders early on. The two exchanged words. What was said, I do not know, but it appeared heated.

Sanders struggled to get his passes out on time throughout the contest. Then, late in the fourth quarter, he threw his nicest-looking completion of the game. It was a 25-yard throw ⎯with rare anticipation⎯to receiver LaJohntay Wester down to BYU’s two-yard line.

Other than that, it was business as usual with Sanders throwing a plethora of short security blanket passes without any anticipation. His receivers were literally looking back at him when he had enough courage to throw. On the day, Sanders was 50% on his six passing attempts that traveled further down the field through the air 20+ yards.

Sanders’ passing numbers for the game:

16 completions

23 attempts

69.6%

208 yards

Two touchdowns

Two interceptions

Those numbers were better than the game film. A good chunk of his “passing yardage,” was picked up after three receptions, two by Hunter and one by running back Dallan Hayden. Sanders’ body language looked defeated from the beginning and predictably, the final score followed.

NFL take away

I can’t get over how overmatched Sanders looked against the No. 17 ranked team. It’s not like Colorado was some sort of Cinderella story either. The Buffaloes entered the contest ranked No. 23. I know I keep using this word, but Sanders looked overwhelmed by BYU’s defensive scheme and he had difficulty adjusting his slower process to the speed of their defense.

Here’s the concern…

If this is how Sanders looked against No. 17 BYU, how will he look facing an NFL team?

Daniel Kelly is a former NFL Scout with the New York Jets. He was hired on the regime which featured Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Scott Pioli, Mike Tannenbaum, and Dick Haley. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief for First Round Mock, and has written for Sports Illustrated (Lions, Jets, and 49ers), NFL Draft Diamonds, and Yardbarker, as well as a featured guest on ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Radio. For more information about him visit his website at whateverittakesbook.com. Follow on Twitter @firstroundmock.