I know you think you are sitting on some huge gotcha..keep after it.
Would Shedeur Sanders be a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft? After his Week 11 performance, he has a claim to be QB3. Read why here.
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That in itself was a sign of impressive intelligence. One of Sanders’ question marks entering the year was how he’d process a new system at the next level. Jacksonville State’s vertical RPO attack forced him to try challenging throws but not reads that translate to
NFL windows and countermeasures.
That was no longer the case under Lewis, who called a vertical passing game with multiple layers of reads. Sanders is amongst the NCAA’s leaders in passing yards and efficiency this year despite dealing with injuries along his offensive line, star receiver, and himself. Lewis’ inability to adjust his play-calling against better opponents eventually led to a change at play-caller after Week 10.
The decision was questioned by pundits who hadn’t watched Sanders run for his life, taking a beating against defenses that could pressure him while bringing only four pass rushers. Sanders remained tough in the pocket and avoided bad mistakes. But the big plays disappeared against Oregon, Arizona State, UCLA, and Oregon State.
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None of that was a referendum on Sanders’ talent. His game remained steady even if his efficiency dipped with receivers unable to get open. It’s not as if he’s playing behind many stars who transferred in, and the talent discrepancy has forced Sanders to grow.
Already, Sanders has. In Week 11 against Arizona, Sanders carried the unit again, throwing for 262 yards and two touchdowns on top of leading the team with 42 rushing yards. Even with a new play-caller, Sanders controlled what he could and had his team in position to win at the end.
Our scouting team has been thoroughly impressed with Sanders’ electric arm talent, high-level processing, and clutch playmaking. However, his toughness and ability to adjust to bigger changes within the program are what make him the QB3 in this class and a worthy top-five NFL Draft pick.
Would Sanders benefit from another season at Colorado, presumably with better weapons and offensive line? Of course, experience is king and can’t be replicated. But Sanders also needs to consider what’s best for his health and development, as his body has taken many hits this year, and the right NFL coaching staff will help him progress by leaps and bounds compared to Colorado’s.
Most people don’t expect Sanders to declare just yet. He has one more year to play with his father, Deion Sanders, in Boulder. His
NIL revenue is also likely very impressive, so he’s in a good position financially.
Those factors aren’t enough to ignore that there’s a massive opportunity to grab the crown of the class’ clear third quarterback behind
Drake Maye and
Caleb Williams. While
J.J. McCarthy,
Michael Penix Jr., and
Bo Nix are solid prospects, none has the combination of talent and mettle Sanders has.