One popular, yet divisive early name to know is Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. There have already been a lot of deep conversations surrounding the talented signal caller. Obviously everyone knows his father, former NFL Hall of Famer cornerback, and now Colorado head coach Deion “Primetime” Sanders.
With that last name, there is going to come a lot of scrutiny. Some will be justified, while other criticism will be largely unfair and biased. When taking a deeper look at what Sanders brings to the field, the questions must be asked: Just how good is he? Is he a legitimate top 10 NFL prospect that some are billing him as?
The deeper and deeper I get into Summer Scouting, not only does the latter seem less and less true, but there are also several underrated signal callers who could even supplant him by next April. There are a lot of things to consider when evaluating Sanders, as well as some other players to keep a close eye on during this college football season.
Concerns surrounding Sanders
From an on-field perspective, there is a lot to like about Sanders. He is a very smooth passer, who possesses some of the best accuracy in the entire class. Sanders is also coming off of a very promising first season in Boulder, throwing for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns, while only throwing three interceptions and completing nearly 70 percent of his passes. He also added four more scores on the ground.
When Sanders is on time, the ball comes out clean and accurately. His field vision is also good, showing the ability to work frontside, eventually coming back to the backside in his progressions.
There are two major issues with Sanders that have evaluators very mixed on the Florida native. The biggest criticism is pocket management.
Colorado finished second worst in the FBS last season, allowing 56 sacks as a team. Obviously that is an atrocious statistic for the offensive line, leading to a major overhaul this offseason. That unit was abysmal in 2023 and needed to improve drastically.
Like many things in life, not everything has to be a one-sided conversation. Yes, the offensive line needs to get better but that does not fully dismiss Sanders. There are many times where he holds the ball too long, opting for hero ball over getting the ball out on time. That could be partly because of the team’s fortunes, and needed some game-changing plays, but regardless it is an issue.
When transitioning to the next level, playing with a better internal clock would be very beneficial. Sanders is a good enough athlete to get out of trouble from time to time, but not a good enough one to make defenses pay all the time.
The other major area of concern for Sanders is his frame. Despite being listed at 6-2 and 215 pounds, Sanders played consistently in the 190s last season. He measured in at 6’ 1 ½” and 198 pounds. Obviously players can add weight but the lack of weight clearly points to just a smaller frame. Sanders just isn’t an imposing force in the pocket.
Seeing Sanders at a larger weight this season would be nice. Seeing him process quicker, trust his eyes, and not always defer for trying for the home run, would be another massive step. There is upside to work with, but not quite as much as many people try to illustrate.
Heading toward the 2024 season, it seems like most have Sanders or Georgia quarterback Carson Beck atop their positional rankings. There are, however, several other players who need to be included in this conversation. Here are a couple to keep a close eye on.
Carson Weigman (Texas A&M)
Weigman is one popular name that a lot of pundits have labeled as a major sleeper. While it’s tough to bet on him right now with his lack of a sample size (nine career games), there is a lot to like and build on. At 6-3 and 220 pounds, he has the ideal frame you want as a pocket passer. Weigman also has high-end flashes, as well as a good blend of arm strength and overall athleticism.
Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss)
Verified at 6-2 and 217 pounds, Dart also possesses a good frame. From a raw tools perspective, Dart has some of the best upside of the entire class. His arm is live and he can run, recruited to play safety by several teams. Dart took a huge jump in 2023, improving across the board as a passer. If he takes another jump, he has the chance to ascend near the top of the list.
Riley Leonard (Duke)
You can also throw Alabama signal caller Jalen Milroe onto this list. Both him and Leonard are extremely gifted athletes, giving that dual threat element that is so valuable in today’s game. I went with Leonard due to a little more buzz from the NFL, who was once thought of as a big riser for this past 2024 NFL Draft class. Leonard brings the frame at 6’ 3 ⅝” and 212 pounds, as well as running 4.52 seconds in the forty-yard dash last offseason. More consistency as a deep passer will be key for a rise this season.
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