One of the biggest stories in college football last year was the arrival of Deion Sanders as the new head coach at Colorado, and his son, Shedeur Sanders, taking over as the Buffs' new starting quarterback after both had a successful run at Jackson State.
After a strong 3-0 start, Colorado lost eight of their final nine games to finish the 2023 season, finishing with a 4-8 record that was still an improvement over the one-win team from the year before, but left many wondering if their fast start was a fluke.
Those questions have followed them into the 2024 season, and for Shedeur, his flashes of potential have generated enough buzz that he's among the candidates to be the top quarterback prospect in the 2025 NFL draft class.
Related: 2025 NFL Draft: Top QB Prospects Who Could Go No. 1
If he wants a shot at that title, here are three big questions Sanders will have to answer this season:
Can he elevate his supporting cast?
The truly great quarterbacks don't just make do with sub-par help around them; they bring their teammates up to their level. Many of Sanders' struggles last year could be directly attributed to the lack of elite talent surrounding him, particularly along the offensive line.
Did Sanders hold onto the ball too long at times, causing some own his own sacks? For sure. Did the early struggles of the offensive line lead to poor mechanics and rushed decisions as the season progressed? Highly likely.
All that considered, if Sanders wants to take the next step in his development, he's going to have to overcome what's lacking on the Buffs' roster, and elevate both his own game and that of his teammates.
Can he cut down on bad decisions and turnovers?
As mentioned above, some of Sanders' struggles with decision-making and bad mechanics can likely be blamed on the degradation of his protection throughout the season, as he lost confidence in his blocking and started to rush his process, leading to poor throws and bad decisions down the field.
Rebuilding his trust in his offensive line is critical, but he'll also have to figure out ways to overcome their struggles without having them force him into making his own mistakes.
A balance of patience, more consistent mechanics, and a willingness to take throwaways and check-downs when the bigger plays just aren't there will be key to Sanders' growth this season.
Can he prove himself worthy of the No. 1 pick?
Unlike the loaded 2024 quarterback class, which featured a clear-cut candidate for the No. 1 overall pick and two more prospects who would have easily been the No. 1 pick in any other class, the 2025 group is a wide-open race with far more questions than answers.
Georgia's Carson Beck and Texas' Quinn Ewers could be in the mix for next year's top spot, but Sanders has the opportunity to assert himself as the best signal-caller in the class.
In order to do that, though, he'll have to answer the first two questions. If he can take his own game to another level by being more consistent and efficient and avoiding critical mistakes, and bring his teammates along for the ride, we could easily see Sanders being in the conversation to go No. 1 overall as the top quarterback off the board.
Related: 2025 NFL Mock Draft Update: Quinn Ewers, Shedeur Sanders Headline Early First-Round Forecast
Most Popular
Comments / 0