The lights were bright, the cameras were locked in, and all eyes were on Boulder this Friday. But this time, the buzz wasn’t about Shedeur Sanders’ NFL future or Travis Hunter’s two-way fun. It was Shilo Sanders—Deion Sanders’ hard-hitting, no-nonsense safety—who stepped into the spotlight at Colorado Buffaloes’ “We Ain’t Hard 2 Find Showcase.” No NFL Combine invite. No Big 12 Pro Day appearance. Just one final opportunity to look 32 NFL teams in the eye and say, ‘Here’s what I bring.’ If this was his only shot, Shilo made sure the message wasn’t just physical—it was personal.
Shilo Sanders entered his fifth-year pro day with a chip that’s been growing for months. Overlooked for the Combine, doubted by draft analysts, and quietly left off early boards, he knew his 40-yard dash would be the make-or-break moment. He clocked a 4.52 on his first attempt, followed by a 4.59. “Man, just working, working, you know… working on technique ‘cause the 40 is all about technique,” Shilo said post-workout. “I ended up with a 4.52. I really wanted to get that 4.4, you know. Whatever—like, I get this whip for my dad—but some people had 4.4. But the big board said 4.52, so we gonna go by that.” That number may not have blown scouts away, but it was faster than four safeties at the Combine—and a loud response to those who predicted a sluggish 4.7.
It wasn’t just the time—it was the pride in his process. “The 4.4 was just a goal; that was a goal. Nobody even thought I could run a 4.5 at all or a 4.6. Everyone’s talking about 4.7, stuff like that,” he said. “But you know, I’m proud of it. He’s proud of it. I’m proud.” The “he” in that quote? Of course, it’s Coach Prime. The father-son bond has always been at the center of Shilo’s story, but on Friday, it wasn’t about living in Deion’s shadow—it was about proving he’s cast his own light and for a cheeky present from dad Prime.
Prime promised Shilo a brand new car if he clocked in at 4.4 on his 40-yard dash
Shilo finished with a 4.52 and 4.59 at Colorado’s Pro Day today
(via @JamesPalmerTV)
pic.twitter.com/r03DoE3S2T
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 4, 2025
Beyond the 40, Shilo logged a 9-foot-5-inch broad jump but sat out the bench press and vertical. For the 6-foot, 195-pound safety, whose last season included a mix of injury alongside 67 tackles, a forced fumble, two pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries, this pro day was a definite high point. And when it was his turn to address NFL teams directly? Shilo Sanders kept it real. No fluff, no overselling—just football.
“My selling point to teams and why they should draft me? If you want a safety that’s gonna play like a safety, that’s gonna be physical, bring that hat, be a leader in the secondary, take coaching, be an extension of the defensive coordinator, do my job—everything I’m supposed to do—then I’m the guy.” It wasn’t just a soundbite; it was a blueprint. In a league that values smart, coachable players who embrace the dirty work, Sanders made sure his identity was unmistakably clear.
Physically, Shilo’s not a unicorn. But watch the tape, and it’s easy to see what separates him. He plays fast downhill, relishes contact, and quarterbacks think twice before throwing into his zone. More importantly, he’s vocal—a communicator who rallies the back end. His day wasn’t perfect. He didn’t hit the 4.4 sec goal. But sometimes, the draft stock isn’t just about the stopwatch—it’s about the story. The missed invite, the clocked speed, the soundbites—all of it adds up to a player who’s got something to prove and isn’t afraid to say it out loud.
Shilo Sanders misses the mark (barely), no car this time
Shilo Sanders had his sights set on two things during Colorado’s pro day—boosting his draft stock and cashing in on a sweet bet with his dad, Coach Prime himself. Deion Sanders—the man who famously clocked a 4.27 in the 40 at the 1989 Combine, hopped out of a limo to run, and then bounced. Classic Prime. Anyway, a slightly frantic Shilo grilled Deion about whether his dad’s legendary time was even legit. That’s how the bet started: Shilo had to run a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, and if he did, a brand-new car of his choice would be his.
“You ran a 4.4 I’ll buy you a new car,” Deion told his son. “Straight up. You run a 4.4… what kind of car you want?” Well, Shilo gave it a solid go, but the stopwatch wasn’t feeling as generous. While his times weren’t bad by any stretch, they just weren’t quite fast enough to win the keys to that dream ride.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the only L Shilo took. The internet trolls, ever eager, jumped on the moment like it was a fumbled punt. It’s nothing new for the elder Sanders brother, who’s dealt with online criticism throughout his career. As for the draft, Pro Football Focus currently ranks him No. 283 overall—not ideal, but there’s still time.
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