Not So 'Prime Time' Shedeur Sanders Continues To Slide In Mock Drafts

Since his transfer to the Colorado Buffaloes, Sanders has been living a high-profile life. He owns a long list of expensive cars, showcasing his flashy profile and market value from endorsement deals.

His dad was a star in big moments of games, earning him the nickname “Primetime.” He finished his NFL career with 53 interceptions, nine of which went to the house. Sanders led the NFL in interception return yards (303) and TDs (3). He also had six punt and three kick returns for touchdowns.

Shedeur skipped the NFL Combine to protect his image and value for this year’s draft. His top wide receiver (Travis Hunter) won the Heisman Trophy last season, but some of his added value came from his play on defense.

An NFL assistant coach on Shedeur Sanders:

“The worst formal interview I’ve ever been in in my life. He’s so entitled. He takes unnecessary sacks. He never plays on time. He has horrible body language. He blames teammates, but the biggest thing is, he’s not that good.”

(via… pic.twitter.com/OXlaglEHjG
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) April 23, 2025

Shedeur Sanders Scouting Report:

Shedeur began his college career at Jackson State, where he compiled a 23-3 record over two seasons, accumulating 6,963 passing yards with 70 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He ran the ball 188 times with nine scores on the ground, but his rushing yards (156) ranked lower than expected due to college football treating a sack as a loss for a quarterback's rushing attempt.

The transition to Colorado and Division I football in 2023 presented a learning curve, as evidenced by a 4-7 record, 3,230 passing yards, and 27 touchdowns while minimizing the damage in interceptions (3). Last year, Sanders went 9-4 with an exceptional completion rate (74.0). He passed for 4,134 yards with 37 touchdowns (school record) and 10 interceptions. Over his two seasons with the Buffaloes, he was sacked 94 times (42 in 2024) while rushing in eight touchdowns. Sanders ran the ball 211 times in 2023 and 2024, but he lost 127 yards (sacks yards lost included).

There’s no dismissing the success and stats of Sanders, but he had many highlight plays where he threw the ball in tight coverage, and his receiver made a winning play to secure the catch. WR Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy last season, accounting for 32.2% of his completions, 30.4% of his passing yards, and 40.5% of his passing touchdowns.

Sanders is another pocket passer who can extend plays with his legs and make first downs on the ground. His arm strength trails that of the best NFL quarterbacks. He isn’t always ready to fire when dropping back to throw, creating some lag time in his release and potentially leading to mistakes under duress.

At the next level, Sanders won’t have the liberty to air the ball out deep downfield due to tighter coverage and a shorter passing window. He must learn to take what the defense gives him and wait for favorable one-on-one matchups on the outside.

Based on recent mock drafts, no one is fighting to draft Sanders in the first round, which may change once the lights go on for the live action on Thursday night. The swag game is essential to him, but he must put in the prep time before games to reach an elite, primetime level at quarterback.

More Fantasy Football News:

Fantasy Football: Jaxson Dart Vs. Kyle McCord

Fantasy Football: Tetairoa McMillan Vs. Matthew Golden

Jameson Williams Trade Rumors: Fantasy Football Impact