2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Colorado S Shilo Sanders

From now till the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as attainable, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and what they’ll convey to an NFL franchise. These gamers could possibly be potential top-10 picks, Day 3 choices, or precedence undrafted free brokers. As we speak, a scouting report on Colorado security Shilo Sanders.

No. 21, SHILO SANDERS, S, COLORADO (Graduate Senior) — 6-0, 195 POUNDS

-2025 East-West Shrine Bowl participant

MEASUREMENTS

THE GOOD

-Bodily, downhill drive from the security place
-Packs an actual punch on the level of contact; coils and strikes
-Good monitoring expertise on the transfer, placing him in line to make performs whereas masking floor from deep security in run help
-Clicks and closes in a rush, performs sq. and with good pad stage
-Brings good quantity of expertise throughout three totally different packages (South Carolina, Jackson State, Colorado)
-Sound instincts in zone protection to place him across the soccer in protection
-Confirmed skill to play deep security and field security throughout time in school; comfy in each roles

THE BAD

-On the older facet for a prospect (turned 25 Feb. 9)
-Doesn’t have a lot manufacturing from a ball expertise standpoint — simply six go breakups, one profession INT
-Can play a bit uncontrolled in huge moments; results in unhealthy angles and overaggression
-Doesn’t anticipate routes all that effectively when coping with man protection; can hesitate to interrupt on routes from deep security
-Misses fairly a number of tackles on tape; no points attending to the ball, however method in every single place
-Footwork is clunky in his pedal; tick sluggish to show and have interaction when working vertically

BIO

-Son of NFL Corridor of Famer Deion Sanders
-Performed six seasons of faculty soccer — two at South Carolina, two at Jackson State, two at Colorado
-Began 21 video games at Colorado, recording 137 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, one landing, 5 passes defensed, 5 compelled fumbles and three fumble recoveries
-Turned simply the ninth defensive again in CU historical past to steer the staff in tackles through the 2023 season when he recorded 70 stops
-Led the Pac-12 and was second within the nation in compelled fumbles in 2023 with 4
-Performed in 20 video games at Jackson State, beginning 15 video games. Completed his Jackson State profession with 59 complete tackles, 12 go deflections, 5 interceptions, and two compelled fumbles.
-Was named first-team All-SWAC in 2021
-Was an Below Armor All-American in highschool at Trinity Christian Excessive College in Texas
-Faces a 2016 lawsuit for an alleged assault in opposition to a safety officer in Dallas whereas in highschool, which resurfaced after he declared chapter in Could 2024

TAPE BREAKDOWN

The second-oldest son of Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer Deion Sanders, one who performs defensive again, Shilo Sanders has drawn fairly a little bit of consideration all through his collegiate profession, which spanned six seasons throughout South Carolina, Jackson State, and Colorado.

Although he doesn’t play cornerback, he’s nonetheless within the defensive secondary and wears the identical quantity his father did. So, expectations have been excessive all his life. Shilo didn’t fulfill a few of these lofty expectations. Nonetheless, he nonetheless has himself in a great place to make the NFL as a hard-hitting security who can float between deep security and field security, due to his instincts, physicality, and soccer IQ.

Throughout his time at Colorado, Sanders performed a whole lot of deep security, each single-high and two-high. He was tasked with triggering downhill to assist in run help and to shut on brief throws, and he was at his finest with that.

Sanders has good eyes within the secondary and might set off rapidly, working downhill with pace. He can click on and shut in a rush, and when he has performs in entrance of him and is working downhill, he can play to his strengths.

A few of his finest reps on tape are when he’s working downhill to help in opposition to the run or reduce down a crossing route.

Right here in opposition to Oregon in 2023, watch how Sanders triggers downhill on the swing route.

Upon arrival, he takes a great angle to the soccer and packs a punch. The one very benefit of Sanders’ recreation is he’s going to strike you. He’s reckless when he flies downhill. He desires to dish out punishment, which can play on the subsequent stage, even when he has some warts.

That’s fairly the strike in opposition to UCLA’s Carson Steele through the 2023 season. Good method: head out of the way in which, shoulder first, drive, and plant. He compelled a fumble within the course of, which was a part of the 4 he had on the season in 2023, ending second within the nation.

Sanders tracks the ball service very effectively, although. You usually don’t have to fret about pursuit angles with him. He’s going to trace and strike.

In fact, there can be some misses, although.

And when Sanders does miss along with his angle, it’s ugly and can lead to splash performs, like this one in opposition to Kansas this previous season at Arrowhead in Kansas Metropolis.

He’s in a position to course of rapidly and get shifting to the flat to try to help on the play, however he slows down as he’s closing in and appears not sure of himself, which isn’t one thing that confirmed up fairly often on tape, particularly when working downhill in help.

That temporary hesitation took him off his line and helped the Kansas participant arrange a block and take the play to the home for a giant landing.

Sanders has some tough misses on tape, too.

Like this one in opposition to Oregon in 2023, he’s usually in a position to make performs in area, however there are some woeful misses the place he’s simply uncontrolled, doesn’t break down, and doesn’t play with good method.

CONCLUSION

As a security who works finest coming downhill with performs in entrance of him, Shilo Sanders profiles as a field security who can function a sound run defender along with his physicality and monitoring expertise. He clicks and closes rapidly, and when he arrives, he packs a punch, making ball carriers really feel his presence.

He’ll convey a whole lot of consideration with him as a result of his identify, quantity, and character, however he’s a strong soccer participant to work with, significantly in a selected function. He’s not all that good in protection, significantly in man, however he flies downhill with drive and is usually a tone-setter for a protection.

Even when he can’t play defensively within the NFL, he’s a respectable particular groups piece who will convey that bodily presence to the desk and will be capable to carve out a core particular groups function, on the very least.

Projection: Late Day 3/UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: Finish of Roster/ Observe Squad
Video games Watched:  Oregon (2023), UCLA (2023), Nebraska (2024), Arizona (2024), Kansas (2024), Kansas State (2024)