Shilo Sanders‘s off-day park workout is getting significant buzz! The undrafted free agent with the famous last name is blowing up in Tampa. And it is because he’s out there grinding when nobody’s watching. He is doing this on Sunday night in the Florida heat, on a random field without any trainers, turf, or excuses.
“They don’t let us in the facility on the weekends, so I just had to find a random field down here to get some work in.” Sanders himself remarked in his latest video on YouTube. His work ethic hasn’t gone unnoticed. According to NFL Rookie Watch, which posted a video clip from the park workout on X, it has an electric caption. “Shilo Sanders’s footwork looks SURGICAL heading into his first season. Sanders has reportedly taken “no days off” since arriving in Tampa Bay and is working towards securing playing time in 2025.” Undoubtedly, he has great footwork.
One NFL scout reportedly told The Sun, “His technique has come a long way since his time in South Carolina. He’s on par with some starting NFL safeties.” After bouncing from South Carolina to Jackson State to Colorado under the guidance of his father, Deion, he’s forging a new identity in Tampa. With 67 tackles, a pick-six, and 5 forced fumbles over two seasons at Colorado, he is bringing in unmatched athleticism.
Shilo Sanders footwork looks SURGICAL heading into his first season.
Sanders has reportedly taken “no days off” since arriving in Tampa Bay and is working towards securing playing time in 2025.
One NFL scout reportedly believes Sanders technique has “come a long way” since his… pic.twitter.com/Du9MrkCRrg
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) May 28, 2025
NFL Rookie Watch’s X post further elaborated, “Multiple Buccaneers coaches have now ‘raved’ about Sanders, praising his intelligence, work ethic, and athleticism.” Moreover, reportedly, he is now a ‘locker room favorite’ amongst not just his teammates, but the coaches as well.
But it is the last line that touches upon his greatness. “The Buccaneers’ rookie safety is FREAKISHLY smooth on his feet ,” the post concludes. On May 28, 2025, Sanders dropped a raw, self-shot training video titled “Shilo Sanders Puts in Work at a Random Park in Tampa | Off-Day Grind.” It gives a 7-minute look into the intense, no-frills workout he undertook, without access to the Buccaneers’ facilities.
As he confirmed early in the video: “Hold on, my bad y’all. It’s Sunday. It’s Sunday night, Sunday evening…” From quick-twitch warmups to alley pursuit angles, Shilo’s off-day drills were next level. “I don’t really like to do static stretching. I feel quicker if I just do dynamic,” he adds. He executed backpedal to 45-degree breaks, visual reaction drills with clock-hand cues, and alley pursuit angles focusing on the inside hip.
Despite the steamy Florida conditions, Shilo pushed through the entire session without rest: “Y’all see I’m in shape. We didn’t even take a break yet,” he adds. And the grind wasn’t over: “I might go on a jog tonight too, just to get my endurance up.” After being signed post-draft, Sanders has quickly fallen in love with Tampa Bay.
Shilo Sanders flexes his skills
Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Shilo Sanders is turning heads with action, not words. In his video, he declares, “OTA, let’s get it.” The son of Hall of Famer and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders may not have heard his name called during the 2025 NFL Draft, but his journey is far from over.
When he showed up for his first Tampa Bay Buccaneers OTA, the message was loud and clear: Shilo’s here to compete. After impressing at rookie minicamp, Tampa Bay locked him down on a 3-year, $2.96 million deal, as per Spotrac.
Sanders stepped onto the OTAs field in May, remarking, “It’s a good day for Buccaneers football.” Well, the Buccaneers’ veterans like Haason Reddick, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin skipped the session. Hence, the door was wide open for rookies and fresh faces. Coach Bowles didn’t hold back on the praise.
“Like the rest of the safeties, he’s very intelligent, he’s very loud. You can hear him making calls and everything, so he’s got a good grasp of things.” He went on: “Day one, there were about three or four rookies who stood out — he’s definitely one of them.” Shilo Sanders plays with a bite and edge, and commands the secondary with vocal leadership. But injuries have plagued parts of his college career, which makes it a concern.
The Buccaneers’ final 53-man roster is a battlefield, and Shilo’s in the thick of it. With the clock ticking toward late August, he’s competing for safety and special teams. Tampa’s fresh off an NFC South title, so the stakes are sky-high.
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