Folsom Field’s Black and Gold Day felt like the closing credits of a movie. Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes said their goodbyes to Shedeur Sanders (No. 2) and Travis Hunter (No. 12), both NFL-bound after leading the team to a solid 9-4 season. Spring, with its fresh starts, seemed like the perfect time to wrap up this chapter. But Deion Sanders Jr. figured this transition wouldn’t happen without some fan ribbing. Turns out, things were different, and Shilo Sanders saw the positive vibes coming. Well, what else would you expect with the Sanders crew running the show?

It’s got to be a bittersweet moment for the whole team, especially for Deion Sanders, watching his sons head to the pros. But mixed with that overwhelming feeling was a clear sense of pride, and Coach Prime made sure to voice it. “I looked in both of their eyes—I know (Shedeur and Travis) were pleased, they were thankful, and they were proud. That means a lot to me. The time frame, nobody’s going to be happy with. Somebody’s always going to have something to say. But the way we are right now, we are a now generation. … Those guys deserve what they deserve right now. So I’m proud of them.” No wonder the fans ate that up.

Now picture this: Shedeur, a QB with a killer 74% completion rate but also tagged as cocky by some analysts, heading into the draft as one of the most polarizing prospects, steps out in front of a packed Folsom Field of over 20,000. Plus, the whole jersey retirement debate…Maybe that’s why Deion Sanders Jr. totally misread the room, thinking the vibe might turn hostile and Shedeur could get booed. Shilo Sanders even spilled the tea on Well Off Media about a playful bet he and his brother had about it. “Hey yo, me and Bucky got a bet—Bucky said, ‘They gonna’ boo him.’ I said, ‘They not gonna’ to. We don’t get haters in real life.’ Bro, they not gonna’ boo. Bucky think about CU.” Sure, the crowd didn’t boo Shedeur, but it wasn’t like they were throwing a parade either.

Colorado’s decision to retire Shedeur and Travis’ jerseys has raised a few eyebrows, especially with the draft day approaching. Deion Sanders is backing the move, highlighting their accomplishments, while some alumni have voiced concerns about overlooking past greats. Well, this move makes them only the 5th and 6th players in the program’s history to get this honor. And yeah, Deion Sanders caught some flak for the call. But if you think other people’s opinions matter to him, think again. He straight-up shut it all down, standing firm for his guys. “Let’s get the elephant out of the room,” he started.

“I don’t want to talk about this too long… If his last name wasn’t Sanders, we wouldn’t have this discussion.” Straight facts. “Sometimes we just have to get out of the way, man, and just be thankful for our people. Love thy neighbors and thyself,” he added. And let’s be real. In just two seasons with the Buffs, Shedeur racked up over 7,300 passing yards and 64 touchdowns, while Travis Hunter’s rare two-way dominance saw him play an astounding 713 snaps on offense and 748 on defense, a workload rarely seen in college football. So, what’s the big deal?

Former players and fans weren’t exactly thrilled about the quick jersey retirement decision. Chad Brown, a former CU linebacker, tweeted, “Never want to take away from anything #2 or #12 have done. Amazing players. But to act as if CU FB was invented 3 years ago ignores the greatness in the past.” Well, retiring jerseys is a huge honor, not something to be rushed. Darrin Chiaverini, another former player, echoed this sentiment, advocating a more deliberate process, similar to the NFL Hall of Fame. This jersey retirement drama just highlights the classic clash: hype for the present versus honoring the OGs. Meanwhile, all this talk around Shedeur seems to be doing his NFL draft prospects a solid.

Shedeur Sanders’ NFL future takes an interesting turn

With the 2025 NFL Draft right around the corner, the New York Giants are showing some serious interest in Shedeur Sanders. Needing some quarterback clarity, they’ve scheduled a private workout with the Colorado star in Boulder, just days before the draft. The Giants, picking third overall, already did their homework on Sanders at Colorado’s pro day, and they were impressed with his arm and how cool he is under pressure. Sanders is still a fascinating prospect, but where he ends up is anyone’s guess.

While the Giants are checking him out as a potential long-term answer, the Las Vegas Raiders are also hot on his trail, looking to make a big move. Holding the sixth pick, the Raiders got to make it count, and a lot of folks think Sanders could be their guy. Given that the Giants have some short-term quarterback options in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, the Raiders might be looking for a franchise guy down the line.

Ice Cube straight-up said, “Of course” when asked if the Raiders should draft Shedeur Sanders. This big-name rapper—a die-hard Raiders fan—is pulling for Sanders to rock the Silver and Black. “I think his pedigree—you can’t dismiss that. He’s seen how to do it on the professional level for a very long time… Has a great, amazing coach [and father] in Hall of Famer Deion Sanders….If he’s there, I think the Raiders should take him.” After all that talk about the Giants and Browns, now the Raiders might just jump into the mix.

But Shedeur ain’t the only one they’re eyeballing. The Raiders, while also looking at guys like Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty and Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, aren’t counting out drafting Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. With Ice Cube in his corner and the buzz around Sanders growing, the Raiders might just make him their priority if he’s still on the board at pick six.

“They’ve gotta still deal with some great quarterbacks in the AFC West,” Cube added. “So we gotta make sure we can stop somebody. Cause scoring ain’t the only thing.” The Raiders’ move could totally shake up the AFC West, especially if Sanders steps up big time at QB. Shedeur and Tom Brady? Seriously, who had that on their bingo card?