Shedeur Sanders has nothing to hide.
The Colorado quarterback has been making the rounds ahead of this month's NFL draft. He made a notable trip to Pittsburgh on Thursday to meet with Steelers brass, a visit he called "a 10." While Pittsburgh doesn't pick until No. 21, draft insiders have hinted at the possibility of Sanders sliding into the back half of the first round, something that might not be the worst thing for a young quarterback if it means ending up with a stable franchise.
Sanders has been at the center of college football since joining his father, coach Deion Sanders, at Jackson State and then Colorado. He received a first-place Heisman vote in 2024, finishing eighth place behind his teammate and top target, Travis Hunter, the winner of the award and a potential top five pick in his own right. No program shined the spotlight on itself more than Colorado, with numerous behind-the-scenes videos posted to social media. Sanders says he won't shy away or hide his personality now during the pre-draft process, even if it makes some teams uncomfortable. Others, he told NFL Network's The Insiders during an interview from the Pittsburgh airport, embrace his authenticity.
"Them understanding me is not that hard. I'm an open book with all the types of questions they want to know in any situation," Sanders said.
"When I go visit these coaches and when I go to all these different franchises, I ask them truly what I think and how I feel. Some get offended, some like it, some don't. Make some people uncomfortable, some people invite that. They know what type of person and what type of player they're gonna get out of me, so I just have to make sure what type of culture or what type of dynamic I'm going to have with them also."
While these meetings are ostensibly job interviews for Sanders, he says that he's trying to absorb as much about the franchises he meets with as they are him.
"When I'm talking to any team, I understand the work it's gonna take and I see the dynamic of everybody that's around, so I know how I approach different situations and what I'm gonna have to do to be successful in different franchises," Sanders said. "So, I'm just sitting back observing, just watching everything and all of what's gonna take win and to change the franchise for the better."
With Miami quarterback Cam Ward slated to be the No. 1 pick for the Tennessee Titans, Sanders could go anywhere from No. 2 (the Cleveland Browns) down to teams like the Steelers, drafting in the 20s. In any case, it doesn't seem like he'll have any trouble adjusting to the spotlight.
More NFL on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Shedeur Sanders Isn't Afraid to Make NFL Teams 'Uncomfortable' by Being Himself.
