Deion Sanders has admitted he could intervene in his son Shedeur’s NFL Draft process to prevent him from being selected by an undesirable team.
The senior quarterback has enjoyed a glittering second season with Colorado under the coaching of his father and he is widely predicted to be a top-five pick in April’s 2025 NFL Draft. Sheduer has thrown 24 touchdowns against six interceptions, with a passer rating of 163.
Shedeur has led the No. 18 Buffaloes to a 7-2 record, putting them in the running for the Big 12 championship and a place in the expanded College Football Playoff. And strong performances over the coming weeks will only enhance his draft stock.
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However, any team contemplating drafting the 22-year-old will doubtless consider the influence of his father – a Pro Football Hall of Famer and two-time Super Bowl champion. The charismatic and outspoken 57-year-old has suggested he could try to talk teams out of drafting his son if he feels they are not an appropriate landing spot.
The situation could see a repeat of Eli Manning’s arrival into the NFL in 2004. He was selected No. 1 overall by the San Diego Chargers despite his father, Archie, making clear he did not want the former Ole Miss standout to go there due to concerns over the state of the organization.
Manning was later traded to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers on draft night and went on to win two Super Bowls with “Big Blue.” It seems a repeat of the scenario in 2025 is not out of the question.
Deion wants Shedeur to land with a coaching staff that has a proven record of developing quarterbacks (
Getty Images)
“Yeah, but I’m not going to do it publicly. I’m going to do it privately,” Deion told ‘Speak’ when asked if he will try to affect Shedeur’s draft process, adding he is “going to be Dad until the cows come home.”
He explained what he wants in a team for his son when he makes the leap to the professional ranks. “I’m not going to give you regions. I’ll give you understanding,” he said. “Somebody that can handle the quarterback that he is. Somebody who can handle what he’s capable of.
“Someone who has had success in the past handling quarterbacks or someone in an organization who understands what they’re doing. Not just throwing you out there amongst the wolves if you don’t have the support in the infrastructure of the team.
“Forget the [offensive] line. He’s played with lines that hadn’t been great, but he’s been able to do his thing. But just the infrastructure of the team and the direction of where we’re going. He can deal with anything.”
Right now, though, Colorado’s focus is on more pressing matters. The Buffs host Utah at Folsom Field on Saturday before games against Kansas and Oklahoma State to close out the regular season.
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