Deion: Buffs stars 'should be going 1-2' in draft

BOULDER, Colo. -- For the horde of NFL endowment evaluators and immoderate bleachers afloat of fans, Colorado manager Deion Sanders said Friday that they each got to spot the apical 2 players disposable successful this year's NFL draft.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Heisman Trophy victor Travis Hunter were among the 16 Colorado players who took portion successful the school's showcase lawsuit for scouts, coaches and unit executives from each NFL team. And Deion Sanders said the 2 marquee players confirmed what helium has known for a agelong time.

"It's tremendous," Deion Sanders said. "... They should beryllium going 1-2 [in the draft], that's the mode I consciousness astir it. They are the 2 champion players successful this draft. ... The surest bets successful this draught are those 2 young men, and I didn't stutter oregon stammer erstwhile I said that."

Neither Shedeur Sanders nor Hunter took portion successful astir of the presumption drills oregon carnal testing, but Sanders had a throwing league for conscionable nether an hr and Hunter was 1 of the wide receivers who participated. Neither subordinate worked retired astatine the scouting harvester earlier this year, truthful it was the archetypal clip Sanders had thrown successful specified a mounting since the extremity of the season. He showed immoderate afloat seven-step drops and play-action from the shotgun and nether center.

"I deliberation I did beauteous good, to my expectations," said Sanders, who acceptable the vocation FBS accuracy people successful his 2 years astatine Colorado (71.8%) to spell with his 4,134 passing yards and 37 touchdowns past season. "I cognize I did the champion successful assemblage shot close now, for sure."

Asked aft the throwing league if helium believed helium was the champion backmost successful the draft, Sanders said: "I consciousness similar I'm the No. 1 quarterback, and that's what I know. But astatine the extremity of the day, I'm not stuck connected that due to the fact that it's astir the situation, truthful immoderate situation, immoderate franchise believes successful me, I'm excited to go. ... I'm comfy successful immoderate situation."

Hunter, who did not talk to the media aft the workout, and Shedeur Sanders met with the Cleveland Browns contingent, including proprietor Jim Haslam, connected Thursday nighttime successful Boulder.

"They got maine truly full," Shedeur Sanders said. "I decidedly needed to spell to the sauna aft that. ... It was a bully vibe."

Said Deion Sanders said: "[I] spoke to the owner, genuinely delightful. He was engaging. ... I deliberation 1 of those guys is going to beryllium determination [at No. 2]."

Hunter, the No. 1 subordinate connected Mel Kiper Jr.'s Big Board, did not bash immoderate antiaircraft drills Friday, but helium ran a afloat assortment of routes. Colorado information Shilo Sanders, Shedeur's brother, offered plentifulness of encouragement, shouting commentary and clapping aft each throw, including "not a batch of quarterbacks tin marque that throw" aft 1 heavy completion.

The highly attended lawsuit -- by scouts, coaches and unit executives arsenic good arsenic fans packing tiny bleachers -- had a festive atmosphere. Deion Sanders named it the "We Ain't Hard 2 Find Showcase," implicit with a ample lighted "The Showcase" motion adjacent to the drills.

Hunter, who has said helium wants to play discourtesy and defence successful the NFL, won the Chuck Bednarik (top antiaircraft player) and Fred Biletnikoff (top receiver) awards successful summation to the Heisman. He said whether helium volition chiefly beryllium a wide receiver oregon cornerback successful the NFL depends "on the squad that picks me."

On Friday, Deion Sanders said "ain't cipher similar Travis."

Hunter had 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns arsenic a receiver past play to spell with 35 tackles, 11 walk breakups and 4 interceptions astatine cornerback. In the Buffaloes' regular-season finale against Oklahoma State, helium became the lone FBS subordinate successful the past 25 years with 3 scrimmage touchdowns connected discourtesy and an interception successful the aforesaid game, according to ESPN Research.

He played 1,380 full snaps successful Colorado's 12 regular-season games: 670 connected offense, 686 connected defence and 24 connected peculiar teams. He played 1,007 full snaps successful 2023.

Shilo Sanders, who hoped to amusement teams much velocity than helium expected, ran a 4.52 40-yard dash aft helium measured successful astatine 5-foot-11⅞, 196 pounds. He did not enactment successful the jumps oregon seat property that opened the workout, citing a close enarthrosis injury.

With each NFL eyes connected the Colorado field to spot Sanders throw, 1 subordinate who made the astir of it was wide receiver Will Sheppard. Sheppard, who measured successful astatine 6-2¼, 196 pounds, ran his 40s successful 4.56 and 4.54 to spell with a 40½-inch vertical leap and a 10-foot-11 wide jump.