Legacy in sports isn’t just about talent—it’s about proving yourself on the biggest stages. And while Shedeur Sanders is set to make history as one of the top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL Draft, his older brother, Shilo Sanders, finds himself in a much different position. Once seen as a promising defensive prospect under his Hall of Fame father, Deion Sanders, he now faces a tougher path to the pros. Reports suggest his draft stock is tanking due to his poor performance (think about the Shrine Bowl) and injuries. If this wasn’t enough, another tough debate is dragging Shilo and the entire Sanders family down.

It is unexpected territory this time as they are being compared to a famous hoops family: The Ball family, per ‘NFL Rookie Watch’. Deion Sanders’ Shedeur, Shilo, and Deion Sanders Jr.—against LaVar Ball and his three sons: Lonzo, LaMelo, and LiAngelo.

While Deion Sanders built his reputation as one of the greatest NFL players of all time, Ball had a brief practice squad stint as a TE with the Jets and Panthers in the NFL. And he believes his trio of sons is “superior” to the Sanders boys, per ‘NFL Rookie Watch’. Their Instagram post stated:

“There is currently a debate going on among fans about who has the better trio. Lavar Ball reportedly believes his trio of sons are “superior” to Deion Sanders trio of sons. Deion’s trio of sons: Shedeur Sanders: Arguably best QB in college football and potential 1st overall pick in the NFL Draft. Shilo Sanders: Above average college safety and potential NFL Draft pick/starting NFL safety. Deion Sanders Jr: Famous videographer.”

“Lavar Ball’s trio of sons: Lonzo Ball: 2nd pick in NBA Draft and average NBA PG. Lamelo Ball: 3rd pick in NBA Draft and Top-5 NBA PG. LiAngelo Ball: Famous rapper. Both Deion and Lavar went THREE FOR THREE.”

For Shilo, his main criticism comes from his performance at the East-West Shrine Bowl. He finished the game with six total tackles and one pass deflection and while addressing his critics, he stated, “I feel like they’re just going to hate on anything. I feel like I had a solid week at practice. Yeah, in one-on-ones, I did pretty shaky, but I can cover. Obviously, if you watch today, you’ll see that.”

This is a new debate, though. It has been an ongoing thing. But what does LaVar Ball think about it? Well, back in 2023, he was asked exactly that. He stated:

“And just the narrative folks try to say, Deion trying to be like Lavar, Lavar trying to be like Deion, no. It’s just two great black fathers doing the best for their family.”

What about ‘Coach Prime?’? It doesn’t look like he cares too much about the comparisons. After all, in 2024, he stated, “And the way I approach some things, that thought process is in my mind and I also think about how the black father’s portrayed. I remember how they were targeting LaVar Ball because he had a love for his kids and he wanted to do his thing. Next thing you know, both of those kids are first rounders, right?”

While Sanders and Ball might not mind the comparisons too much, it seems like fans have a certain opinion and they are not ready to back down.

Shilo Sanders caught unwanted strays…

The moment the Sanders-Ball family debate hit social media, fans didn’t hold back. Many argued that the idea of Shilo being an “above average” college safety by NFL Rookie Watch’s post was a reach. One commenter kept it blunt:

• “Above average is being wayyyy too nice.”

Many believe that Shilo’s talent has been inflated due to his last name rather than his play on the field. The Sanders family carries a level of prestige thanks to their father’s legendary career with the Atlanta Falcons and the Cowboys, but when it comes to individual player accomplishments, Shilo becomes the point of focus.

The doubts over his NFL potential have turned into outright dismissals from some fans. Shilo isn’t seen as being on the same level as his sure-to-be-a-top-3 pick brother or NFL legend father.

Another fan dug deeper into the numbers and history, offering a perspective that seemed hard to refute.

• “Too high on Shilo. I’m a Deion fan btw, but just too high. And let’s take a look at the past 8 years and compare the Ball family vs the Sanders family and it’s not close.”

In comparison, Lonzo and LaMelo Ball have established themselves as NBA stars. LaMelo ranks among the top five point guards in the NBA when healthy, and Lonzo has proven his value despite injury challenges. Meanwhile, their brother LiAngelo is a basketball shooting guard and a successful rapper.

The skepticism didn’t stop there. More fans wrote:

• “Saying Shilo is above average is ridiculous 🤣, just trying to make the argument sound better for the Sanders trio.”
• “Above average college safety? Umm no.”

This points to a growing perception that Shilo’s inclusion in this debate is forced. Shilo Sanders put in a solid 2024 season with 67 tackles (44 solo), a sack, a pick-six, and two fumble recoveries in 10 games, but a guaranteed NFL future? That’s still up in the air and that’s exactly what a fan pointed out:

• “Uh.. this debate is too soon.. two Ball Brothers are in the league.. when the Sander’s get in the league and Bucky is able capture their journey..”

A mid-season arm injury sidelined Shilo for nearly three games, raising questions about his durability at the pro level. Surely, it will be interesting to see how he will be treated in the 2025 NFL Draft and then, in the league. What do you think?