Back in 1989, as the New York Giants asked Deion Sanders to study their playbooks to be selected at the 18th draft spot, Prime Time, who got selected at the fifth, responded with a composed, “I’ll be gone before then.” Fast forward 36 years, as his son Shedeur Sanders prepares to land in an NFL team, he is met with some similar situations. While the parallels may be there, the former Colorado QB is set to pave his own path. And the work speaks for itself. In his last collegiate season, he threw for 4,134 yards for 37 touchdowns on only 10 interceptions. Sanders led his team to a 7-2 conference record in 9-4 overall record while claiming the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

However, his NFL draft stock has been highly unstable. First, he was projected in the top five picks. But then, Field Yates dropped him to sixth and all the QB could say was “That’s c—, bruh. I ain’t going sixth.” Now, some mock drafts not only take him out of the top ten but push all the way to the 21st spot, where the Pittsburgh Steelers, who he recently gave a 10 after meeting, could safely grab him. Yet, through all the ups and downs, it is interesting to note that it is his skills that are being spotlighted and not the fact that his top 10 projection chances are because of his father. And it is visible.

Just five days ago, Shedeur Sanders had his much-anticipated Pro Day in Boulder, Colorado, after he chose not to throw at the Combine. No doubt, all eyes were focused on the former Buffs’ QB1’s performance. And he didn’t disappoint. Mid-range, dimes, long passes—Shedeur brought it all. In some sense, it was necessary to remind the naysayers that his high draft prospects are not because he is Deion Sanders’ son but because he has performed exceptionally well in college football, especially during challenging and crucial moments. And that’s exactly what his sister wants everyone to remember.

In a recent interview, Shedeur Sanders’ sister, Deiondra Sanders, was asked about the quarterback’s potential NFL team. “I don’t really have a team. I’m just so proud of him for the way he works hard and his work ethic. It’s like he’s done this thing right. You always have my dad to lead you, but you got to want it as well for sure. So, he’s done this thing right. So I’m just proud of him, whatever team he goes to. I just want him to go where he would like to go. That’s the best fit for him, and I’m just proud of him. It doesn’t matter where he goes.”

Surely, having a guiding light can be helpful for a player to make his name in the sporting world, and what better than a Hall of Famer as a father for the same. However, instead of being in his shadows, Shedeur has done things his way. And even as he steps into the professional world, where others want him to land is not as important as where he wants to go by himself. So far, he has shown interest in the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints. But where support is concerned, the Sanders family does not seem to lack it anywhere.

Time and again, Deiondra has raved about his brother. The very recent one was when Shedeur told the NFL teams during his media appearance at the Combine in Indianapolis, “If you ain’t trying to change the franchise or the culture, don’t get me. So, you should know history repeats itself over and over and over, and I’ve done it over and over and over, so it should be no question why a franchise should pick me.”

Listening to this, Deiondra quickly took it to her 

Instagram story and added, “He said what he said” with a red heart and a still from his interview. No doubt, the Sanders household is a close-knit unit. They support each other in public whenever they get the chance to. So, it’s no surprise that Deiondra’s priority is for Shedeur to be happy. Where would he be happy? We don’t know yet.

What we do know is that Shedeur Sanders has everything to be a top pick in the upcoming NFL draft. The qualities? The ability to throw quite accurately as the QB finished with the third highest accuracy rate in college football. He shows a great understanding of the defensive setup, and his ability to find a receiver in tight coverage is quite exceptional.

Shedeur Sanders has the talent to execute accurate deep throws despite the tag that his arm is ‘weak.’ Sanders’ 94.8 PFF grade, which is ranked 4th in the draft class on deep throws (20 yards plus), is a testament to his ability to execute those deep balls. All in all, the QB has incredible talent, but despite this, his draft stock seems to be falling. And now, it seems like he is preferring another destination to show his skills.

Shedeur Sanders moves on from the New Orleans Saints?

Several teams were touted for drafting Shedeur Sanders. First was the NY Giants, then the Tennessee Titans, and recently, the New Orleans Saints, with their 9th pick, were expected to rope in the QB’s services. So much so that Deion Sanders, when asked about the Saints and Shedeur possibility, said, “I like their colors, I like the city, I like the food, I like the people, I like the possibility.” Naturally, Shedeur would have also been ready to move to the Saints; however, now it seems it’s the opposite that’s a possibility.

A couple of days ago, the player visited the Pittsburgh Steelers and was asked about it on Kay Adams’ podcast. Sanders was quite optimistic about his visit, as he said, “I enjoyed my time in Pittsburgh. I connected well with all the coaches, and it was really fun.”

The former Buffs QB even compared the Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin, to his dad, Deion Sanders. “I understand the mindset, and why they [Pittsburgh] win a lot, just how he [Tomlin] is as a person, the values that the team has, and what he preaches is similar to my dad.”

The decision to move on from the Saints and finally make the Steelers his priority may be because Jaxson Dart is increasingly becoming a favorite for the Saints. However, the Steelers connection could also play out because rumors are circling that the Steelers could trade up if Sanders’ availability drops out of the top ten. This would mean that the Steelers would be trading much earlier than their current 21st pick and would have a solid chance to land the QB. Of course, a lot also depends on what Aaron Rodgers finally decides for the Pitts. We still will have to wait and see if that happens.