Very few entities that exist in the college football periphery can ever match up the collective hype around the quintessential Deion Sanders’-Shedeur Sanders duo. This is not something The Sanders family set up a benchmark of talent, success, and tradition in the mix. Shedeur has exceeded expectations this season, racking up some huge scores. With Travis Hunter by his side, the kid pulled off a banger from his pads during a breakout Cincinnati win. The odds only swelled through the later matchups against Texas Tech and Utah. But wait, it’s not only the collegiate excellence that kept the 22-year-old relevant in the news. Rather it’s the crucial ‘what’s next’ aspect that made us chew the rag. While a lucrative NFL future is looming large for the Buffs star, a critical ESPN analysis smells some trouble.

No matter how strongly Coach Sanders tries to dismiss the idea of him jumping ship to the NFL following a tremendously successful tenure at Boulder, football fans remain unconvinced. With Colorado on the verge of hitting the Big 12 championship, Coach Prime and his son Shedeur might have even imagined a couple of high-flying post-winning reactions. But even if they miss the bull’s eye for an inch, the fleet-footed legacy still kept them a non-missable target for the national big leagues like the Dallas Cowboys.

Following a washed-out season, rumors suggested that Mike McCarthy should just go tank and earn a chance to pick the esteemed father-son (Deion Sanders-Shedeur Sanders) package for 2025. Sports icon Michael Irvin strongly advocated for this. But giving a nod to the request might be a trap for Coach Prime that can leave his son’s career in serious jeopardy. Spotting a red flag, ESPN‘s Dan Orlovsky noted, ‘‘Deion has set Shedeur up for success. Going to the NFL with Shedeur would set him up for failure. This is the grown men’s league. He’s not going to play daddy-son in the NFL. I don’t believe that Deion thinks that that’s the best situation, the best thing for his son. I also think, because of what happened this week, it’s way more likely that he stays in Colorado.

Again, that nepo-kid taunt recurs! Dealing with the heavy fact that he carries the last name of his legendary father has become the central theme around Shedeur Sanders. While it worked as a protective shield around the kid, it also exposed him to a lot of undeserved flakes. Coach Prime, however, doesn’t play a sweet and sugary dad to his kids on the field. Rather, he mostly resembles the cynical, ever-critical father figure who calls out the child in every slight inconvenience, only to see them excel more.

However, when it comes to his son’s future in the NFL, Sanders is unapologetically protective. He doesn’t want a very professional and money-minded coach to handle Shedeur. He would rather let his son settle for a humble mentor who will be happy to teach him things gently. Regardless, Deion’s opinion plays an instrumental role in his son’s potential NFL jump. But if it would be up to Shedeur alone, he might choose the Raiders over any other suitor.

Is Shedeur Sanders eying some other NFL giant than the most-rumored Cowboys?

From the very beginning, Shedeur Sanders has been a hot-selling entity in the 2025 NFL draft conversation. His recent performances fueled up the stacks even more. Teams like the Cleveland Browns and Carolina Panthers have been lurking behind to play on their benefit of mounting a horrible season. Browns certainly look to find a replacement for their flop QB Deshaun Watson when Bryce Young continues to be a pain in the neck for the Panthers. However, Shedeur Sanders seems too farfetched to make a deal with both teams.

NFL draft guru Todd McShay is big-time unconvinced that Deion Sanders will allow his son to go to any of these below-the-radar teams. Then what will be the answer?

Well, if you regularly follow the Jersey No. 2 social media antics, you must have seen intriguing activities for the past few weeks. Sanders repeatedly posted a ‘thank you, God’ note each time the Las Vegas Raiders dropped the ball in the season. Is it a sign of the Buffs’ poster boy leaving breadcrumbs of his NFL choice? Food for thought!