Just a couple of months before the 2025 NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders made one thing crystal clear during his media session on Saturday. Deion Sanders, his dad, has been a constant presence in the draft hype machine for a while now—giving interviews, dropping hints about which teams might be a good fit, the whole nine yards. So, when asked about his dad’s involvement, Shedeur explained that Deion was simply being a supportive parent. And you know what? He’s absolutely right. Every parent, if they were in his shoes, would be doing the same. That kind of down-to-earth response definitely won over his older half-brother and, honestly, probably a lot of people out there who can relate. 

Deion Sanders Jr. shared two posts by Turron Davenport on his Instagram account, welloffforever on January 26. It had the following statements by Shedeur—“I’m the most guaranteed risk you take,” and “I didn’t know your parents wanting the best for you and being involved was a problem.” Bucky then showed his pride for his little brother with a two-word caption, “Wise Man.”

Only a rare population of fathers get a chance to coach their kids in sports. And Deion Sanders is among them. Six seasons of coaching Shedeur Sanders across high school and college. Now, his 22-year-old QB son is ready to leave the crib to find his calling in the NFL as a top prospect. And he’s not just any ordinary NFL prospect. 

Shedeur Sanders defended Coach Prime while also throwing a subtle light on his coveted position, “I think every parent would want the best for their kid. The fact that he has the opportunity to do it for me, the best quarterback in the country, I think he’s supposed to do that.” So it’s no surprise that Deion is heavily involved in Shedeur’s draft process. But could this involvement lead to an Eli situation? 

Deion Sanders wants the best for Shedeur Sanders 

Deion Sanders didn’t keep this notion under the rug. It was already in the air last March when he admitted that there is a possibility to pull an Eli if Shedeur Sanders gets drafted by certain teams. The topic resurfaced in September during his appearance on The Nightcap, where he admitted, “[I’ll pull an] Eli, a Lavar Ba-l, a LeBron… I’m pulling all of them. Honestly, we’ve talked about it ostensibly. I’ve talked to a multitude of teams because they’re at practice every day, but I want what’s best for him, but I want him to be happy as well.”

Many might mistake that Deion Sanders is forcing his decision over Shedeur Sanders. But he made it clear earlier this month on the Tamron Hall Show that it’s not about what team he wants his son to play for. That’s his son’s decision. But what he meant is that “it’s a couple of teams that I won’t allow him to play for.”

Coach Prime has been around the NFL for so long, 14 seasons, so he knows what is and what isn’t. He added, “This is my profession. I know what’s behind the curtain. We ain’t got to get back there for me to understand what’s behind the curtain and what’s not prominent for my son. I’m not doing it.”

CBS Sports currently has Shedeur Sanders as the No. 2 QB and No. 9 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Colorado signal-caller finished the 2024 season with 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns and led the Buffs to a 9-4 season under Deion Sanders’ second year of coaching in Boulder. The media outlet placed the 6’2, 215-pounder as the favorite to land with the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, and New York Jets. 

Deion Sanders’ involvement in Shedeur Sanders’ draft process is a display of his protective nature as a father. After all, the development of a player largely depends on the team’s assets and dynamics. And it would hurt to see his talented son waste away with an incompatible team.