BOULDER — The Giants had 13 men on the field. Cleveland rushed seven for dinner and Deion. The Titans dropped six.
If that’s what a depressed market for Shedeur Sanders looks like, I doubt the CU Buffs’ Indoor Practice Facility would’ve had the space for a happy one.
“I feel like I’m the No. 1 quarterback (in this draft),” the Buffs’ record-setting former QB1 and consensus 2025 first-round pick, said after throwing at CU’s pro day Friday, “and that’s what I know.”
And yet CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli raised eyebrows locally this week when he predicted Sanders, who’d been considered a top-five lock for — well, years — would fall to the Saints with pick No. 19. Most pundits, including NFL.com’s Chad Reuter, peg the QB-needy Titans to nab Miami’s Cam Ward at No. 1 overall. He’s got Sanders going to the Giants with pick No. 3, right after Travis Hunter’s taken by Cleveland at No. 2.
At a made-for-TV pro day with nearly 200 credentialed media in the house, perhaps the most notable — and wealthiest — visitor to CU wasn’t a coach or former player at all.
It was Browns owner Jimmy Haslam, who was part of a contingent from The Cleve that took Shedeur and Hunter out for supper on Thursday night.
“I sent them to my favorite steakhouse in the city,” Shedeur recalled. “But it was a good vibe. It was a good atmosphere.”
Good enough, in fact, that Haslam spent a chunk of Friday morning talking shop near midfield with Deion Sanders, Shedeur’s father and Hunter’s sensei.
“It was charming, it was engaging,” Coach Prime said just before lunch. “It was cool. (Haslam’s) a good guy, and I like him. I think one of (Shedeur or Hunter) is gonna be there.”
We wouldn’t wish that fate on anybody, but it’s not as if the Browns have much choice. Not after Friday. Eric Galko of the Shrine Bowl charted Sanders as completing 58 of 63 passes, with three of those incompletions resulting from drops.
And, yes, some early balls wobbled. A few sideline throws tailed. But the deep ones were exquisite, reminiscent of a young Russell Wilson. Who just signed with the Giants. The plot thickens.
“At the end of the day, I’m not stuck on that because it’s about the situation,” Shedeur said. “So whatever situation, whatever franchise believes in me, gives me the opportunity, (then) I’m excited to go.”
Now, were all those scouts, GMs and owners here to see Hunter up close, too? Oh, yeah. But they didn’t see much. The Heisman winner reportedly only decided to run routes for Sanders at the last minute and did so without gloves.
When there’s a tie on most angles, most NFL draftniks go back to arm strength to break it. Brian Baldinger of NFL Network gives Ward the edge there, based on the zip of the ball and the mechanics. He thinks the Titans might’ve made up their minds on that, too.
“I think (Ward’s got better) arm talent,” Baldinger told me after the workouts. “I think both can lead. I think they both have great leadership abilities. I just think Cam’s arm is just more accurate, and he’s got just more RPMs on the ball.”
In fact, Hunter told Baldinger, questions about Shedeur’s arm were one of the reasons the two-way talent went out there sans gloves.
“He said he wanted to hear the sound of the ball (coming out of Shedeur’s hands),” the analyst recalled. “So, maybe he wanted to help Shedeur out, with (scouts) hearing the sound of it hitting his hands. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. That’s what he said.”
Which is funny, in hindsight, because when Shedeur was chucking it, at least early on, the facility became deathly quiet. It was like watching Tiger Woods line up for a putt on the 17th green.
Before long, the silence became so prevalent that even Shilo Sanders got annoyed. The Buffs safety and older brother of the ex-CU QB parted his position among the inside circle of scouts, then walked over to some onlookers watching along the sideline.
“I need y’all to clap after every completion,” Shilo told them, pleading like a cheer captain for more CU spirit. “For real.”
Shedeur missed his next two throws, then dropped a dime up the right boundary.
Golf claps.
Shilo looked over.
“I need you to clap after every completion,” the safety admonished politely, “so he can get in his rhythm.”
Which Shedeur did, nailing three more completions in crisp succession.
Golf clap. Golf clap. Golf clap.
Another Shilo look.
“Let me hear everybody clap,” he said, slightly less politely this time. “Everybody, clap so you can make him feel like it’s a game.”
A few throws later, the younger Sanders lofted a pretty rainbow to Jimmy Horn Jr. up the left boundary on a corner route, one his receiver dove to secure. It was easily the grab of the day, and Horn knew it, popping up and celebrating with a backflip.
“Oh, yeah, Shilo’s funny,” Shedeur said. “He was out there clapping. You know, he was the only one clapping out there. So that’s real support. And everybody else, I don’t know. He earned my respect today.”
After he’d wrapped up his media pit stops, Shedeur was approached by Broncos coach Sean Payton, who made a point to give Sanders a hug and a quick word.
Giants GM Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll also pulled Shedeur aside. Daboll had said three days ago he wasn’t coming to BoCo. Read into that what you will.
“I could bring cameras and eyes anywhere I go,” the younger Sanders said. “No matter where I go … I know the influence I have in society and on culture. So wherever I go, it’s definitely going to be improvement than what it was before I got there.”
At one point, Shedeur even went into Mahomes Mode. He dropped back, took three steps to his right, and flipped the ball behind his back for a short completion.
As the claps resumed, louder this time, Sanders smiled. Not bad for a falling star. Not too bad at all.
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