The air in Colorado is different, now that all its high-profile talents are heading to the NFL. Deion Sanders will be looking at a team that lacks sons Shedeur and Shilo, and Heisman Awardee Travis Hunter. Having just wrapped up Pro Day, Sanders will officially close the 2024 books and zero in on 2025. He’s got some new faces on the roster, along with some new hires. It’d be interesting to see how Sanders drives forward a team that is new to him this season. However, could it be that Coach Prime might not get the results he wants for this year?
Last year, Sanders did what nobody thought he could. As Colorado’s new HC in 2023, Coach Prime finished with a lacklustre record of 4-8 in the Pac-12. But in 2024, he turned the tables. He finished with a 9-4 record in the Big 12 in their debut year in the conference. That’s 8 places up from their 2023 season, where they finished at a disappointing 12. Coming to 2025, Sanders has not been sitting idle. He’s got some great power among his 2025 signees, because of which Colorado ranks No. 2 in the Big 12’s 2025 class. But the murmur of doubt around Coach Prime’s upcoming season is still buzzing. He’s expected to go bigger than 2024, but will it be easy for him?
Josh Pate, in an April 6 video, shares some insights on what the road ahead looks like for Sanders. “Deion Sanders has silenced a lot of people – me included – who had questions about his approach. I still don’t have questions about it. But if we’re talking about last year where they went 9-4, to this year, I think it’s probably more likely without Sheduer, they take a step back.” Without us realizing, Shedeur had added so much value to the team that his absence is starting to look like a problem for Colorado. “Shedeur Sanders was a miracle worker. [T]here is no way that he should have been able to do what he did behind that offensive line, with very little running game to speak of, and still made stuff happen.” That ‘stuff’ would be a whopping 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, and a passer rate of 168.2.
NCAA, College League, USA Football: Colorado State at Colorado Sep 16, 2023 Boulder, Colorado, USA Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders 2 warms up prior to the game against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field. Boulder Folsom Field Colorado USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xAndrewxWeversx 20230916_anw_pl2_0128
Without last year’s heavy-duty performers, how much of a hit is Colorado expected to take? Pate said that Colorado isn’t going to “fall off a mountain.” “They could just minorly regress and lose three more games than they did last year, [because] the Big 12 is so insanely compressed and competitively balanced,” Pate said.
Those 3 losses will be a blow to Sanders, because 7 losses overall don’t seem very promising. They also do not have many high-voltage recruits. “They took 17 transfers too, and only one of them was a blue chipper.” Julian ‘JuJu’ Lewis committed to the Buffaloes as a five-star prospect. Pate continued, “So, either they found a lot of diamonds in the rough, or the roster may just not be as good.” We’ll have to wait and see if Sanders does suffer a pushback this season or if he silences onlookers like he did last year.
A new favorite is touted to draft Shedeur Sanders, much to Deion’s relief
Shedeur, on the other hand, finally has something to look up to for his draft prospects. He put on an eye-catching show at the Colorado NFL showcase. In his throwing reps, he progressed from short to deep throws, where one attempt at Jimmy Horn Jr. travelled more than 40 yards in the air. He doesn’t have the luxury that Travis Hunter does, who took it easy on the eventful day. Shedeur is doing the best he can to prove that he’s a first-round pick.
He looked to be in talks with the Tennessee Titans, who have the No. 1 pick. However, that route is looking grim as the team cancelled a private workout session with Sheduer after the showcase. There are still plenty of teams looking to secure Shedeur, who makes for a mean quarterback, despite his struggles. On the betting table, however, it seems Shedeur is favored to go with the New Orleans Saints.
But things also get tricky for Shedeur with this prediction. The Saints have the 9th pick, which means he has to be passed on by Cleveland, New York Jets, and more. Shedeur is not Cam Ward, who has held on to the top places in mock drafts until now. Shedeur, on the other hand, has slipped. The Saints also do not urgently need a quarterback, but they have the room if Shedeur makes it to their turn. Derek Carr is still with the Saints; it’d be interesting to see how Shedeur’s addition makes a difference.
Deion Sanders will likely have a mixed outcome in 2025. He will begin this season with a fairly new team, coming off of one that produced some great feats. Colorado has a somewhat difficult schedule this year, too, and Coach Prime should be on the lookout for the games that will be challenging. Shedeur Sanders, on the other hand, is developing into a mystery bet as the draft nears. Who gets to pick the star quarterback?
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