Coach Prime’s Ex-Wife Pilar Sanders Steps Up for Shedeur’s Draft Stock as She Highlights His Big Wins After Jersey Retirement

With their time in Boulder officially over, it was a golden goodbye for Colorado’s dynamic duo, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. The Black and Gold Spring Game marked the final chapter, as the Buffs retired jerseys #2 and #12, cementing their legendary status. While Deion Sanders handled the emotional sendoff, swatting away critics on the side, Mama Bear Pilar Sanders stepped in, playing her hand perfectly for Shedeur’s future. With the NFL draft just three days away, she laid out his accolades like a royal flush—proving Shedeur’s got the ultimate power parent tag team.

Well, even though it was a big moment for the Sanders, the timing sparked some initial skepticism. CU alum Darrin Chiaverini didn’t hold back, criticizing Shedeur Sanders’ jersey retirement as something that “should never be taken lightly.” Because retiring jersey numbers is a huge honor. But considering a college career with 14,353 passing yards, 134 touchdowns, and a 70.1% completion rate, it’s hard to argue he doesn’t deserve the honor. But Pilar Sanders made sure his remarkable skills, positioning him as a likely first-round pick, were well-known.

Pilar Sanders knows the drill pretty well. The QB’s full-time cheerleader rolled into Boulder one last time, capturing the emotional drive with a heartfelt video. “Taking this one last drive in to retire my son’s jersey number #2… it’s been amazing,” she posted, radiating pure positive vibes. And this time, she hyped her son in the best possible way with a carousel of their spring game photos, ending with a snippet of Shedeur’s impressive career. The hype train has officially left the station. Shedeur’s 49-game touchdown streak, the longest in Division I history, wasn’t just consistent; it was record-breaking. He stands as only the second quarterback ever to surpass 14,000 passing yards with a completion percentage above 70%.

At Colorado, his performance wasn’t just good; it was transformative. In a mere 24 games, he completed nearly 72% of his passes for 7,364 yards and 64 touchdowns with only 13 interceptions. He shattered over 100 school records, becoming Colorado’s all-time leader in passing touchdowns and quarterback rating. His accolades, including the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, First-Team All-American honors, and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and his impressive statistics speak for themselves. If these accomplishments don’t warrant a top 5 draft pick, it’s hard to know what would.

Pilar Sanders’ advocacy came at a crucial moment, right before the draft. ESPN analyst Jeff Legwold offered a contrasting view, giving Shedeur a low 32nd ranking in his top 100 prospects, citing concerns about his 6’2, 215-pound frame as undersized for a pro quarterback. Legwold did acknowledge Shedeur Sanders’ strengths, stating, “When he sets his feet in a clean pocket, Sanders shows the best mechanics and accuracy of any quarterback in this draft. His 71.8% completion rate in two seasons in Colorado is an FBS career record.”

However, he maintained concerns about his size and a tendency to hold the ball, contributing to an FBS-leading 94 sacks in the past two seasons. While valid, many argue that Colorado’s weak offensive line significantly contributed to his sack rate. Despite these concerns, hope remains high for Shedeur’s draft prospects.

Shedeur Sanders’ draft stock gets a major push

The Cleveland Browns are reportedly intrigued by Shedeur Sanders, with GM Andrew Berry stating, “There’s a chance [we take Shedeur]. All options are on the board.” Despite the perception that Shedeur Sanders relies more on polish and precision than raw, flashy power, private workouts and insider buzz point to genuine NFL interest.

Adding to the speculation, Mike Florio believes a team might even trade up to the No. 2 pick for Sanders, calling it “the nuttiest one we’ve heard in recent days.” While unlikely, if Cleveland is open to a trade and an owner is set on Sanders, it’s a possibility. Whether it makes logical sense is debatable.

This scenario hinges on Cam Ward potentially going first overall to Tennessee, leaving the Browns with the choice of drafting Sanders or trading the pick. Selecting Sanders would be a bet on his accuracy, decision-making, and football IQ, rather than pure athleticism. While he’s smart and composed, he doesn’t possess Mahomes-level traits. A closer look reveals that a significant portion of his throws were behind the line of scrimmage, a notable percentage required adjustment, and a smaller percentage were into tight windows, with his success rate against man coverage being less dominant despite having Travis Hunter as a primary target.

The uncomfortable question remains: is Shedeur Sanders a top-two pick based on merit alone, or is his famous last name a significant factor? Without the Deion Sanders connection, he might be evaluated similarly to other promising but imperfect quarterbacks. Florio bluntly suggests that “the most overlooked factor when it comes to Sanders is the possibility that the months of evaluation, investigation, and deliberation will be superseded by an owner who would rather get it wrong by drafting Sanders and having him not work out than by passing on Sanders and having him become a superstar elsewhere.” Ultimately, the NFL’s draft process involves both talent evaluation and marketability. The draft board awaits… where will the Shedeur Sanders pick fall?