Some harsh reality from a former NFL scout. Ouch.
Shedeur Sanders is an NFL cornerbacks dream.
As a former NFL Scout, I went back and studied every snap Sanders took this season at Colorado on game film. He threw with little to no anticipation against man coverage at the intermediate route level (11-19 yards). He waited to throw until the receiver was making his break —or after. Most of the time it was after.
Sanders lacks faith when throwing the ball —he had to see that the receiver was coming open or see that he was open before he had the courage to throw it. This is why Sanders has the slowest time to throw in this draft class (3.00 seconds per Pro Football Focus). This is also why he was the most sacked NCAAF quarterback this season —42 sacks (ESPN).
Don’t make the mistake of blaming Colorado’s offensive line.
Sanders can’t get the ball out of his hand on time.
He lacks what it takes. He’s afraid of making mistakes. He’s timid. He wanted to make sure the receiver was actually going to be open before he threw it. Plus, if that’s not bad enough, when he was looking right at the receiver he was throwing to —he showed a tendency to pat the football before he threw it, which even further telegraphs to cornerbacks when and where he’s throwing.
I’m really surprised his dad and coach Deion Sanders didn’t correct this stuff when his son played quarterback for him at Colorado because Deion, who played cornerback in the NFL, made the Hall of Fame off quarterbacks like his son.
The NFL and the BIG 12 where Sanders played his college ball are just different. This must be understood. Not taking anything away from what Sanders was able to accomplish at the level of competition he participated in, but now we’re talking about the NFL Draft. Now the conversation is different. It worked for him at Colorado, but it isn’t going to work for him in the NFL. At Colorado, he mostly only faced corners and safeties who likely will never play in the NFL. Colorado only faced two top-25 teams (No. 17 BYU No. 18 Kansas State).
Successful quarterbacks in the NFL face a different type of cornerback—they’re a lot more savvy —they know how to read quarterbacks more —they’re faster and more athletic. They earn their stripes against quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Tua Tagovailoa, who has the fastest time to throw according to NEXT GEN STATS (2.42 seconds).
NFL quarterbacks have to be able to throw with anticipation into the intermediate route level —meaning they have to be able to throw to the spot before the receiver makes his break. That’s how receivers are able beat cornerbacks in this league.
We need to stop with this nonsense first round mainstream narrative on Sanders that’s NOT being driven by his game film —and actually contemplate what works and what doesn’t work in the NFL.
Quarterbacks in the NFL who can’t confidently throw with anticipation don’t make it.