“My sons (have) been attacked since Day 1”: Deion Sanders believes Shedeur & Shilo are mentally prepared for NFL as he reflects on past struggles

Deion Sanders will be without his two sons at Colorado in the 2025 college football season. Shedeur and Shilo Sanders, who played under Coach Prime at Jackson State and Colorado, will be making their way to the NFL after exhausting their eligibility in college football.

In an exclusive interview with TODAY.com on Saturday, Deion Sanders was questioned about how he's mentally prepared his sons for the challenge that comes with the next level. Considering his kind of personality and what he achieved in the league, his sons will be placed on a different lens.

“My sons (have) been attacked since Day 1. Even when they played youth ball, about, ‘They ain’t this, they ain’t that.’ So they’re well prepared for the pitfalls and for the ignorance and adolescence of life. We prepare these kids here for not only the ups but for the downs.

“Somebody’s going to get hurt, somebody’s going to lose their starting job, somebody’s girlfriend is going to do this or cheat on them, or whatever. Somebody’s going to lose someone during the season. It is going to always be those trials and tribulations, but we do a great job of preparing our young men for those pitfalls so they can rock steady.”

“Because some people just try to prepare you for success. But what about the bull junk that you know is certainly going to happen? The Bible says, "In this world, you’re going to have some tribulations." Therefore, I got to prepare you for it.”

Shedeur Sanders has felt the heat of what the NFL would look like in his draft process. From getting a negative review at the NFL Combine to seeing his draft stock fall significantly, the quarterback now has a glimpse of what's coming. Nonetheless, Deion Sanders believes they've been prepared for it.

In which rounds could Deion Sanders’ sons get drafted?

Deion Sanders’ son will get to know their NFL teams when the draft event kicks in Green Bay later this month. The two had a noteworthy career under their father and they'll hope to take that to the professional stage.

Shedeur is projected as a first-round pick. The quarterback was one of the best in his position during his days in college football, making him a coveted pick. Despite the falling draft stock, the signal-caller is not falling out of the first round, according to analysts.

Shilo, on the other hand, is projected to be selected in the late rounds. Some analysts, however, see him as an undrafted free agent. The defensive back was not invited to the NFL Combine, raising some concern on his draft stock.