Why Shedeur Sanders Can’t Return to Play for Colorado After NFL Draft

Under the NCAA's rules, Sanders will not be able to play college football again.

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) prepares to pass the ball in the third quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Shedeur Sanders suffered one of the worst draft slides in NFL history in the 2025 NFL draft, leading some to wonder whether the Colorado Buffaloes quarterback should return to school in the fall.

The kicker, of course, is that he can't.

Fox analyst Joel Klatt first raised the subject after Sanders fell out of the second round on Day 2 on Friday and theorized whether Sanders could go back to college. The 23-year-old had one final year of eligibility remaining prior to declaring for the draft.

Joel Klatt asked out loud if Shedeur Sanders could go back to college. Because he hasn’t hired an agent. This is comical. And no you can’t go back to school. pic.twitter.com/ReqqynXGUp

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) April 26, 2025

Under the NCAA's rules, once a player declares for the draft, they automatically forego their remaining eligibility to play college football. This applies to players who go undrafted as well.

In football as opposed to other sports, declaring for the draft equates to a player committing to a professional career and thereby giving up their amateur status for good.

There is a time-sensitive exception: a player who has declared for the draft can choose to take his name out of the mix by a certain deadline—assuming he hasn't signed with an NFL agent. Former Miami quarterback Cam Ward went down this route before the 2024 NFL draft and ultimately returned to school. For Sanders, however, that deadline has long passed.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio suggested Friday night that Sanders could test the boundaries of the NCAA and be the first player to try to return to college after the NFL draft, but that obviously is no guarantee. Not to mention, Colorado retired his No. 2 jersey already, so a homecoming would be a bit awkward.

For now, Sanders remains stuck in limbo awaiting his NFL fate on Day 3, where he'll be at best the QB6 behind Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe and Dillon Gabriel.

---

More NFL Draft on Sports Illustrated

feed