Shedeur Sanders' road to NFL Draft started with dad Deion Sanders, Bound for Cleveland

Gridiron connection between Hall of Fame father and now-famous son began at Trinity Christian in Cedar Hill (Texas), where the Tigers won three state TAPPS titles

Trinity Christian's Shedeur Sanders (2) throws a pass during a football game between Trinity Christian and Knoxville Catholic in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. Kns Preps Catholic Tcch 0829 / Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC

There might not have been a harder high school football player to project in 2020 than Shedeur Sanders. 

The then 6-foot-1, 200-pound youngest son of Deion Sanders played for his Hall of Fame dad — the offensive coordinator — at Trinity Christian in Cedar Hill (Texas), where he couldn’t have been more productive. 

Shedeur threw for 12,627 yards in a four-year career, completing 805 of 1,238 passes (65%) for 166 touchdowns while leading the Tigers to three state championships in TAPPS, the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools. 

Trinity Christian School quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) looks for an open teammate. The Gadsden County Jaguars lost to the Trinity Christian School Tigers, who traveled from Texas, Friday, Oct. 9, 2020. Gadsden Vs Trinity920 / Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The competitive level of TAPPS, however, made some pause when evaluating Shedeur. 

Where in most states private schools rule, in Texas, TAPPS, serving roughly 230 schools, definitely owns a stepchild reputation to the UIL, perhaps the most competitive top-to-bottom football state in the union with approximately 1,300 schools. 

Although he surely faced lesser competition to his public school Texas brethren, Shedeur’s talent, bloodlines, work ethic, skill and highly competitive nature were obvious. 

Still, projections were mixed. 

He received 3-star status from 247Sports, but 4-star in its composite rankings, which takes into consideration other recruiting services Rivals.com and ESPN. 

National 247Sports recruiting analyst Greg Biggins compared him to career NFL backup Jacoby Brissett and projected him as a round 4-7 NFL draft pick.

Five years later, heading into Thursday’s first round of the NFL Draft, Shedeur was projected as a first-round pick. 

Some mock drafts had him going No. 2 overall to the Cleveland Browns.  

He went to the Browns, but in the fifth round. In one of the more shocking developments in NFL Draft history, Sanders for some reason dropped to the 144th pick.

“(Sanders is) highly productive and a winner with a pair of state championships to his name,” Biggins wrote in March 2020. “Athletic frame, moves well and can extend plays. Does a nice job making that initial pass rusher miss, doesn’t panic and shows poise and calmness in the pocket. 

“Has dual-threat ability and can pick up big chunks of yards with his legs but doesn’t take off and run as much as you would expect. Has enough arm strength to get the ball down the field and shows nice touch on his deep ball. 

“Can tighten his release a bit but has some solid tools that project well to college. Upside is an impact upper tier Power 5 starter and potential NFL draft pick.” 

As a kid, Shedeur’s upbeat personality somewhat mirrored his dad’s as revealed in the MaxPreps documentary series “The Truth about Trinity.” 

Shedeur was just a high school freshman at the time, and it offered a window into his relationship with his father, one of the nation’s most visible and vocal athletes of this or any other generation. 

Trinity Christian School offensive coach Deion Sanders walks down the sideline as he talks to his son Shedeur Sanders (2), who is the team's starting quarterback, before a game against Gadsden County Friday, Oct. 9, 2020. Deion Sanders020 / Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat via Imagn Content Services, LLC

It’s important because the two have been hooked together on the gridiron for eight seasons, as after high school son followed dad or father followed son to Jackson State and the University of Colorado. 

Before kickoff of each game in high school, Deion and Shedeur always took a stroll to the end zone, one-on-one, right after the national anthem. 

“We always exchange thoughts and things we want to do and accomplish and what to expect,” Deion said in the documentary. “Once the game kicks off, I’m Coach. I’m not Dad anymore. We hit that switch real quick.” 

Off the field, Shedeur and his dad had a unique, playful, competitive relationship, shown in a fun, revealing fishing expedition. 

“Every single day, it’s always a competition between him and me,” Shedeur said. “Whenever he runs in the morning, lifting weights, just a lot of stuff.” 

Said Deion: “Competitive is what the Sanders are. When grades come out, (Shedeur) is walking around the house like ‘I’m the smartest one in here. I got all A’s and one B.' That’s how he is. Everything is a competition.”  

Though his brothers Shilo and Deion Jr. played college football, Shedeur is the best NFL prospect.   

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“You know how blessed you are to coach your kid in high school? And to be able to father him as well? I get to pass on everything I’ve learned," Deion said. "Everything I’ve gone through. Everything I’ve been up against, I get to pass it on and teach him, reach him, instruct him, correct him, protect him and that’s what I’m doing. Sometimes he sees me as Dad and not Coach during the heat of the battle. 

“First off, I’m your coach and I want to win. Second of all, I’m your dad, and third of all I kind of know what I’m doing. I’ve been here and done that. I got a gold jacket (NFL Hall of Fame) and blue one from college (Hall of Fame), So I kind of know. But in the heat of the moment he kind of forgets he sees Dad sometimes and not Coach. 

“He’s going to learn to mature out of Daddy’s mold.” 

In 1989, his dad was a first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons, the No. 5 pick overall. If Shedeur is picked ahead of that, both father and son will be smiling. 

No matter where he’s picked, he tweeted Sunday a five-word prediction to his NFL career that no doubt came straight from his father:

Failure is not an option

— Shedeur Sanders (@ShedeurSanders) April 20, 2025

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