Colorado HC Deion Sanders says he can dictate where Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are drafted

Should players be able to decide where they want to play before being drafted?

Last season, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders took the college football world by storm thanks to his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way star Travis Hunter.

The storm ended after three weeks. Colorado started the season 3-0 and everyone had Sanders and Hunter among their Heisman favorites and projected high picks in the 2024 NFL draft. The Buffaloes then went 1-8, Hunter was hurt and Sanders struggled.

Sanders could have declared for the 2024 NFL draft but chose to return to college. When the elder Sanders was on something called the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast, he made it clear that his son and Hunter would only play for certain teams and he would “pull an Eli” if they got drafted by the wrong teams.

What he is referring to is Eli Manning, who said he refused to play for the San Diego Chargers after they chose him No. 1 overall in the 2004 NFL, The Chargers then traded him to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers who the Giants selected Philip Rivers. This allowed the Chargers to trade Manning for Rivers also with several San Diego draft picks including a first-round pick the following year.

My feelings on this are quite simple. If I’m an NFL GM, I don’t draft any player who doesn’t want to play for my team, especially not a high pick. No matter how talented they are, they will be a bust if they are set on not playing. And teams invest too much in top picks to have petulant children on the roster with huge salaries.

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Deion Sanders wants Travis Hunter and Shedeur to leverage their future NFL Draft destinations just like Eli Manning

Deion Sanders knows exactly where he wants Travis Hunter and son Shedeur to play.

Deion Sanders is putting the NFL on notice. He has an idea of where he wants Travis Hunter and son Shedeur Sanders to be drafted in 2025, and if the wrong teams take them, “it’s going to be an Eli,” he said.

Sanders was a guest on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast when he predicted Sanders and Hunter would both be top-four overall draft picks, with one going No. 1. But he cautioned about the possibility of that changing based on the teams picking. He has destinations in mind for them and his other son, Shiloh.

“I know where I want them to go. So, it’s certain cities that it ain’t going to happen,” Sanders said before referencing Eli Manning, who famously requested a trade from the San Diego Chargers to the New York Giants after being drafted first overall in 2004.

On first listen, Sanders’ comment reeks of an entitlement those players haven’t earned yet. They were certainly standouts at Colorado last season, but better players have come and gone without being able to leverage their way to an ideal draft destination.

However, just because players haven’t been able to leverage where they go as much in the past doesn’t mean it shouldn’t and won’t happen more in the future. We’ve been conditioned to accept the draft as a legitimate process to determine where people get to work, but the more power college players gain through NIL and brand deals, the more we could see the tide shift. There isn’t a more ideal situation to help push that change than having one of the NFL’s greatest players with a star quarterback as a son and a two-way defensive back as his star pupil.

Manning knows all about that and appeared to approve the message, with a tweet saying “I love me some Deion.”

All of this falls apart if Shedeur and Hunter don’t put up good enough film in 2024. But if they do their part, this will be something to monitor going into next year.

Shedeur Sanders affirms ‘great relationship’ with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur

Shedeur Sanders spoke on his relationship with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur

Shedeur Sanders met with the media for the first time this spring on Wednesday and many things were said that caught the ears of Colorado football fans.

One of the most attention-grabbing quotes came when the senior quarterback was asked about newly promoted offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. Shurmur, known for his NFL experience, joined Colorado’s staff last year as an offensive analyst before overtaking offensive play-calling duties from now-San Diego State head coach Sean Lewis late in the season.

While the change didn’t result in too much of a difference, Sanders and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders stayed by Shurmur’s side. Months later, it’s obvious that the feelings haven’t changed.

“He understands me as a person, I feel like that’s the main thing with anybody,” Shedeur said. “You got to have somebody that understands you, somebody that you don’t have to change or you don’t have to act any type of way… Coach Pat, we have a great relationship. He understands me, he accepts me for who I am. I feel like that’s the most important thing.”

Shedeur’s strong connection with Shurmur offers optimism that Colorado’s offense will be a more consistent unit throughout the Buffs’ first season back in the Big 12 Conference.

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247Sports ranks the Top 25 quarterbacks in college football

Brad Crawford shared who he views as college football’s top quarterbacks.

Texas’ Quinn Ewers is one of the top three quarterbacks in college football. That is, if one college football analyst is to be believed.

247Sports’ Brad Crawford shared his ranking of the top 25 quarterbacks in college football with Ewers ranking No. 3. He has the ability to become the best.

The Longhorns’ five-star talent is finally starting to live up to his five-star billing averaging 8.8 yards per attempt and completing 69% of his passes a season ago. Ewers could be even better next season. While he loses his best receiving targets from last year, Texas reloaded with rising talent and four new portal additions between receiver and tight end.

Only Carson Beck (Georgia) and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) rank higher than Ewers in the ranking. Beck and Sanders put up better numbers than Ewers a season ago.

A handful of other SEC quarterbacks were ranked by Crawford. The list goes in the following order: Carson Beck (No. 1, Georgia), Shedeur Sanders (No. 2, Colorado), Quinn Ewers (No. 3, Texas), Jaxson Dart (No. 4, Ole Miss).

Jackson Arnold outside the top 10 in ESPN’s 2024 spring quarterback rankings

Oklahoma quarterback Jackson Arnold just outside ESPN’s 10 ten QBs for the 2024 season ahead of spring ball.

Anytime you have turnover at quarterback, there are bound to be questions about how the offense will perform the following season.

The Sooners are one of the teams across the country that will be starting a new quarterback in 2024. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] takes over for [autotag]Dillon Gabriel[/autotag], who transferred to Oregon. And while there may be some uncertainty, the Sooners have one of the best young quarterbacks in the country.

The former five-star prospect isn’t one of the favorites to win the Heisman in 2024 and at this point. At this point he’s just outside the top-10 of ESPN’s quarterback rankings heading into the spring. And a lot of where Arnold is ranked is likely related to his inexperience at the collegiate level.

The only player without much experience that’s ranked ahead of Arnold is Tennessee Volunteers quarterback [autotag]Nico Iamaleavea[/autotag].

Arnold has a lot of talent and is a highly-regarded quarterback, but he and Iamaleava have a lot to prove still. But they’ve got all the talent in the world, and both former five-star quarterbacks were able to get their first start during bowl season.

Arnold and Iamaleava will likely provide the fireworks in the Oklahoma Sooners first conference game in the SEC when they welcome the Tennessee Volunteers to town. That could be the start of a fantastic quarterback battle over the next several years. In the offenses they run with the talent that both schools possess, both former five-star quarterbacks could be dark-horse Heisman contenders in 2024 and frontrunners in 2025.

For the Sooners, everything is set up for Arnold to find himself ranked much higher in these quarterback rankings by the end of the season. The offensive line will come together and the Sooners have a deep pool of skill talent for Arnold to work with.

Here’s a look at ESPN’s top 10.

Shedeur Sanders makes ESPN’s top 10 quarterbacks ranking for 2024

Shedeur Sanders will enter his senior season as one of college football’s top quarterbacks

If he stays healthy, Shedeur Sanders’ expected final college football season should be his best. Colorado’s offensive line has improved this offseason and with an embarrassment of playmakers at his disposal, everything’s set up for the senior quarterback to succeed.

ESPN released an early college football top 10 quarterbacks ranking on Friday and Sanders took No. 8, just ahead of Utah’s Cameron Rising and Miami’s Cameron Ward. Georgia’s Carson Beck led the list with new Oregon gunslinger Dillon Gabriel right behind.

During his first season at CU, Sanders threw for a single-season school record 3,230 passing yards while tallying 31 total touchdowns and only three interceptions.

Another strong year in Boulder could have Sanders going early in the 2025 NFL draft.

Sanders’ second spring practice season in Boulder begins March 18, with Colorado’s Black and Gold Day spring game set for April 27. After dealing with multiple injuries last season, including a fracture in his back, Sanders is expected to be fully healthy.

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PFF ranks Texas’ Quinn Ewers the No. 5 returning QB in 2024

This ranking seems a bit low for Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers is expected to be one of the top players in the nation for the upcoming season. Continue reading “PFF ranks Texas’ Quinn Ewers the No. 5 returning QB in 2024”

Why Shedeur Sanders should be on the cover of EA Sports College Football 25

Colorado’s starting QB is worthy of being on the cover of EA Sports College Football 25

EA Sports College Football 25 is coming this summer, and a new star must grace the cover. That player should be Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Featuring a current player on the cover would be a departure from previous versions of the game, but with student-athletes now allowed to profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL), giving the cover to a current player is now likely. Sanders has college football’s highest NIL valuation, so he’s certainly one of the sport’s most recognizable figures.

Two other factors are working in Sanders’ favor: he plays a premium position and Colorado was one of college football’s most-watched teams last season. For the first time in years, the CU Buffs have become primetime viewing. Of the 50 most-viewed college football games last season, the Buffaloes played in six, including two in the top 10.

Quarterbacks are typically the face of any football team, and if Sanders has another great season this fall, he could be a high first-round pick in next year’s NFL draft.

Colorado will again be a top draw in 2024, and EA Sports should get on the train by giving Sanders a spot on the cover.

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Dillon Gabriel expected to be one of the highest-rated players in EA Sports’ College Football 25

EA Sports College Football 25 is expected to drop in the summer, and Ducks QB Dillon Gabriel is will likely be one of the top-rated players.

It’s been more than 10 years since the last time a college football video game was on the horizon, but on Wednesday, EA Sports announced College Football 25 will be available in the summer.

Fans across the country, including myself, have already begun speculating what will be included in the new game and what will not. After all, college football looks completely different than in 2014, the last time we had an NCAA game. It will be interesting to see how EA implements the changes.

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247Sports joined the speculation by guessing who the highest-rated returning players will be. It’s no surprise that running back Ollie Gordon, the 2023 Doak Walker Award winner, tops the site’s list (99 overall). Travis Hunter, the Colorado Buffaloes two-way star, is a 97 overall. And Dillon Gabriel, the next great Oregon quarterback, is a 94 overall, tied for the third-best QB on the list.

One aspect that will set Gabriel apart in EA’s new game is speed and elusiveness. Back in NCAA 14, there were few things more fun than running around with Gabriel’s childhood hero Marcus Mariota. Gabriel possesses many of the same running traits as Mariota. Of all the QBs on 247 Sports’ list, Gabriel and Jalon Daniels are the quickest, which will make Gabriel a lot of fun to play with.

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