He wasn’t invited to the NFL Combine. He didn’t participate in the Big 12 pro day. So ‘We Ain’t Hard 2 Find Showcase’ on Friday was Shilo Sanders’ first and also the final time to flaunt his football prowess to NFL teams who could be thinking about him. And if there was a drill for Shilo to prove he belonged in the league, it was the 40-yard dash. After all, Coach and dad, Deion Sanders, is well known for his mythical time of 4.27 seconds in 1989!

Shilo Sanders 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. Here’s the thing: 4.52 seconds put his performance ahead of four safeties at the NFL Combine (Maxen Hook, Rayuan Lane III, Hunter Wohler and Sebastian Castro), and 4.59 tied for the worst time at the 2o25 Combine (with Sebastian Castro). So what did he say about his performance? As reported by BuffStampedeDotCom on YouTube, the player stated:

“Man, just working, working, you know, working on technique ‘cause the 40 is all about technique. 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. The work just don’t stop here. 4.4 was just a goal, that was just a goal. Nobody even thought I can run a 4.5 or a 4.6. Everyone’s Everyone’s talking about 4.7, stuff like that.

“But you know, I’m proud of it. He’s proud of it.” The “he” in that line? 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 his merit and for a cheeky present from dad Prime! What gift? A car if Shilo clocked in a 4.4 time in the 40-yard dash. Had the player recorded a time of 4.49 (which can be rounded up to 4.5), Shilo could have still argued his case. Well, we wonder whether Shilo will still get a new car!

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. He stated:

“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 work, Shilo made sure his identity was unmistakably clear.

All that being said, social media users were quick to share their thoughts. When an X account posted his 4.59 timing and questioned why he wasn’t quicker, the football player hit back: “I drifted. The 1st one was 4.52 idk why yall wouldn’t post that.”

16 top draft-eligible players from the Buffs’ team (including Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders) showed their skills at ‘We Ain’t Hard 2 Find Showcase’. While Hunter had a relatively quiet day, Shilo was seen yelling praises and clapping for his brother Shedeur after each throw.

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But coming back to Shilo, physically, he is 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; No new car for him?

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 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 Sanders 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.

PFF has ranked Shilo Sanders as the No. 283 player in the class. With total picks of 257 in the draft, the player might get his name called in the last few rounds.

Do you think Shilo will find success in the NFL? Let us know in the comments below.