UNSCRIPTED: SHEDEUR SANDERS is Skipping the NFL Combine. Is this the “RIGHT” thing to do?
Unscripted By Keith Edmonds
FWIS Contributing Writer
University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders decided that he would not participate in the NFL Scouting Combine (held in Indianapolis) and did not throw or participate in any quarterback drills as well which raised eyebrows around the NFL and those that may be considering drafting him this summer. Some say that he’s acting out of arrogance thinking that he’s better than he actually is, while others say that he may be hiding some sort of injury that he’s not fully healed from. Still others say that this is a shrewd calculated decision that he and his coach/father Hall-of-Famer Deion Sanders have masterfully decided to make. In my opinion, he loses or gains nothing from being in the Combine and will more than show his worth in his private “Pro Day” that will be held on his campus in Colorado in front of NFL scouts and executives.
What’s interesting to me is that Shedeur had a tremendous year this past season with the Buffalo’s and is a sure-fire 1st round NFL pick. So, what does he have to prove? Surely his father who has gone through this process during his days in the NFL will guide and direct him on making the BEST choices when it comes to handling scouts, agents, and NFL representatives, right? And who better to have at the controls than one of the game’s greatest players? Deion Sanders talent was not only great ON the field but his clever approach to marketing himself under the label “Prime Time” was something that many athletes should blueprint and follow which is what his son intends to do!
Shedeur is branding himself under the label “Legendary” or “2Legendary” which is consistently used when his name is brought up in social media, interviews, or even his podcasts which is brilliant in my estimation. Shedeur Sanders is working this thing just like his father did and should be applauded and not criticized! All of this branding and skipping the combine is very risky according to some experts but Coach Prime and his son are carefully controlling the narrative surrounding Shedeur and the University of Colorado football program. Here’s how...
Many NFL worthy collegiate players use the combine to enhance their draft stock and maybe open a few more eyes when it comes time to draft them later this summer. For Shedeur he is having his Pro Days workouts in Colorado and Dallas where he can control what plays he’ll run, the environment he’s performing in and the receivers he’ll be throwing to! Is that smart or what? I’m leaning towards BRILLIANT! Why do you go all of the way to Indianapolis to run the 40-yard dash and throw to receivers who he’s never seen or have any type of rapport with? Hmmmmm.... Are you following me? The Sanders camp has also decided to skip Draft Day (held in Green Bay) and have their own version of Draft Day right on the campus of Colorado University which promotes their school and future players! Again, I say Hmmmmm...... Everything that Shedeur Sanders is being carefully sculpted by his father who’s been down this road of “self-promotion” before and has made the image of “Prime Time” bigger than life in many aspects, so at the end of the day, Shedeur Sanders is making huge choices and decision that will set him up for life far after football is over. Parents, isn’t that what we REALLY want for our children? At the end of the day all of these decisions being made are informed and as I mentioned before, CALCULATED and though it may not be the road for many athletes to follow I think that it’s a road the will lead to a pot of gold for Shedeur Sanders and his family. It’s not arrogance, fear, or being cocky, it’s called strategy, and it just may be the best strategy we’ve seen in quite a while. Some teams will pass on drafting him and others are waiting to see if Sanders will fall in their lap but whomever gets him will have a tremendous player on their hands with a future as bright as his predecessor Deion “Prime Time” Sanders and that sure isn’t a bad thing!