Shedeur Sanders is turning heads — it’s not just because of the 52 sacks he took as a freshman quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes.  Despite that rough rookie season, coaches notice his determination and raw talent. Even a rival team coach is singing his praises.

Nebraska’s coach, Matt Rhule, recently shocked everyone by calling Shedeur “one of the best football players I’ve ever coached against.” He wasn’t shy about giving Shedeur props, mentioning how many times they tried to take him down (at least 10!), but Shedeur just wouldn’t go down easy. This kind of respect from a competitor speaks volumes about his talent. 

A few days after Rhule’s interview, the Colorado QB coach, Mike Sanford, jumped in to agree. “What he said about his toughness. That’s a trait that I noticed really quickly,” Sanford said in a live interview with DNVR Sports. “The Washington State game I think that he was a walking wounded individual and kudos to him for you know putting the uniform on and showing up for that game. He sounded like he had at least a you know a spiral microfacture or something in his back,” he added.  It’s believed Shedeur even got pain-numbing shots to be able to play further. 

Sanford also noted that Shedeur was without a solid offensive line for protection. “You’re going to have to take those hits. You’re going to deliver the ball knowing that you’re going to get smoked,” Sanford explained last year’s situation precisely. And now, with two coaches praising him in a row, a third one just joined in. Is there more to come?

Shedeur Sanders is well on his way to becoming a top draft pick

Former Colorado coach Gary Barnett, who led the Buffs for over seven years, recently praised quarterback Shedeur Sanders on the 365 Sports show. This means a lot, especially from a respected figure in the program’s history. Barnett called Shedeur “a special player” who manages the game well. Barnett added, “He’s mobilizing where he needs to. He always carries himself really well, during the game and after the game as well.” He even said he sees Shedeur as a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and potentially a top-5 college quarterback next year.

These are impressive accolades before Shedeur even takes a snap in the Big 12. His draft stock is clearly on the rise, with some analysts even suggesting that a top-5 selection isn’t out of the question. Carson Beck from Georgia is currently ranked higher than Shedeur in most mock drafts. However, Shedeur has an impressive completion rate of about 70%, and there is potential for his stats to improve even more.

With an exciting season ahead for Colorado, the expectation is that Shedeur will solidify himself as a top NFL draft pick next year.