Deion Sanders isn’t giving up on his son, Shilo Sanders. Despite the ongoing “assault” case hanging over him, the Buffaloes‘ head coach turns up the hype for his safety son.

Things fell apart in 2015 when Shilo was just 15. A security guard, John Darjean, tried to take his phone away at Deion’s request. It got out of hand as Shilo allegedly hit Darjean with his elbow and gave him some life-threatening injuries. Darjean then sued Shilo for a massive $11.89 million.

Despite the dark cloud hanging over Shilo, Deion remains his biggest supporter. With the NFL draft next year, Shilo is hobbled by these developments, and his stock isn’t exactly as sizzling as that of his quarterback brother Shedeur. Deion, ever the showman, posted pictures on Instagram of a fired-up Shilo during a game with the caption “@shilosanders My Hitta My Hitta! Literally. Love ya son and proud of u.” Deion’s clearly trying to spin some damage control and boost Shilo’s image.

Shilo desperately needs a stellar season to climb the draft rankings, but the lawsuit throws a wrench into his plans. It’s not only him who is in that situation. But to avoid the hefty payout, Shilo filed for bankruptcy, leading to more damage. Between the lawsuit and the “bankrupt” label, Shilo’s “playmaker“ reputation is taking a beating.

Can Shilo redeem himself? Can a standout season and Deion’s social media hype drown out the noise of the lawsuit? Achieving draft glory is difficult for Shilo, as it isn’t an easy road. 

Can Deion Sanders’ hype train outpace Shilo’s lawsuit?

Shilo Sanders’ draft future is a hot topic, and former CU alum Matt McChesney isn’t holding back on his opinions. On the Coach JB show with Big Smitty last month, McChesney questioned Shilo’s recent bankruptcy claim, saying, “You can’t claim bankruptcy and keep two $50,000 cars.” He also predicted a later draft round for Shilo, stating, “He’ll probably be a 4th or 5th rounder,” while highlighting Shedeur and Travis Hunter’s potential for first-round picks. With the Heisman race, too, heating up for Shilo’s brother Shedeur and Hunter, the assault lawsuit is casting a long shadow over Shilo’s career.

Deion Sanders is trying his best to counter the negativity as a supportive dad. Last week, he posted Shilo’s impressive defensive stats on Instagram, highlighting his “430 coverage snaps zero. Zero TDs allowed.” It seems Deion is promoting his “older rookie” son’s skills to overshadow the legal drama. So, which image of Shilo will prevail? Can he regain his reputation as a defensive star with his usual on-field aggression? Looks like the Big 12 season will be a crucial test.