Is Shedeur Sanders a senior? Colorado QB's college and NFL draft eligibility explored

Shedeur Sanders started his Colorado career on a bright note against No.17 TCU on Saturday, shattering the program's passing record with 510 yards in just his first game.

The quarterback, who is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorada coach Deion Sanders, led the Buffaloes to an upset 45-42 victory over the Horned Frogs in their 2023 season opener.

Starting his career at HBCU and Football Championship Subdivision Jackson State, Sanders is playing his junior year in college football at Colorado. The quarterback transferred to the program during the massive offseason overhaul by the Buffaloes.

Having played his freshman and sophomore seasons under his father, he is among the many Jackson State players who followed Coach Prime to Colorado. After his arrival, he immediately took the starting role and is ready to take the Football Bowl Subdivision by storm following his debut.

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Shedeur Sanders NFL draft eligibility

Shedeur Sanders is playing his junior season with the Colorado Buffaloes in 2023, which means he will be eligible to declare for the 2024 NFL draft. An outstanding performance in the Pac-12 this season could present him as one of the top prospects for the upcoming draft.

However, whether Sanders will choose to play his senior season in college football instead of foregoing it for the professional stage is unknown. Playing his first season in the FBS, he might want to play another season in college football to have a better draft standing.

Nonetheless, the quarterback brings a strong recruiting pedigree with impressive stats, many individual accolades and a rich NFL legacy. Assessing his draft prospects will necessitate a more intricate analysis that delves beyond the superficial aspect.

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Shedeur Sanders' college football career so far

Shedeur Sanders has had a noteworthy career so far in college football. Although he started in the FCS, this hasn't stopped him from making a name for himself as a signal-caller, showcasing his talent with spectacular performances and claiming many accolades.

In his two seasons with the Jackson State Tigers, Sanders threw for 6,963 yards and 70 touchdowns in 24 games, completing 68% of his passes. He led the Tigers to two consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference championship victories in 2021 and 2022.

Shedeur Sanders was named SWAC Freshman of the Year and won the Jerry Rice Award in 2021, earning Second-team All-SWAC recognition. His more impressive performances in 2022 earned him the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year and the Deacon Jones trophy, with a First-team All-SWAC call.