Dan Orlovsky names Tua Tagovailoa as Shedeur Sanders’ NFL comp

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky has drawn a direct comparison between Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Miami Dolphins starter Tua Tagovailoa.

During ESPN's "First Take" on Friday, Orlovsky shared his thoughts on what offensive system would best suit Sanders' playing style.

"If you were going to say where or what type of offense does Shedeur need to be in to play to his very best," Orlovsky said, "because he's not one of those five guys on the planet that you can kind of put him in any offense, and his physical skills are just absolutely absurd that he'll overcome any deficiency of it.

"I tell you, he needed to be in an offense similar to what Tua is like in Miami, or what Brock Purdy is like in San Francisco, or a little bit of what Joe Burrow is like in Cincinnati, point guard. Tua is my comp in many ways for Shedeur Sanders. Great ball placement, rhythm and timing, super smart, anticipatory thrower."

The comparison comes as Shedeur Sanders prepares for Colorado's pro day workout, where scouts from several NFL teams will evaluate his skills.

According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, the New York Giants, who hold the No. 3 pick, are sending numerous staff members to the showcase.

Evaluating Shedeur Sanders is the "hardest" for Orlovsky

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Dan Orlovsky expanded on his evaluation challenges when discussing Shedeur Sanders on ESPN's "Get Up" program.

"He's the hardest quarterback I've had to evaluate since I've gotten into TV," said Orlovsky. "Because 75% of his snaps don't matter, Greeny. And that's the reality for everybody that's evaluating Shedeur Sanders. Half of the snaps that he had at Colorado were thrown inside of five yards. It feels like when you watch his tape, every ball is thrown at the line of scrimmage.

"You're not drafting him in the top five for that, right? So throw that out. That's half the snaps. And then 25% of the snaps the offensive line protection is so terrible that I don't care if you have Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes, you're not doing anything with that either. So you get to evaluate 25% of his snaps."

Other analysts have also weighed in on Sanders' draft position. College football analyst Joel Klatt, a former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback, strongly disagreed with narratives suggesting Shedeur Sanders should fall in the draft.

"I think that Shedeur is an incredible player," Klatt said.

Klatt believes Sanders possesses the talent to transform a franchise:

"Whoever drafts Sanders is getting a guy who is immensely talented and is ready to turn a franchise around."

This assessment stands in contrast to the fluctuating draft projections that have Sanders ranging from a high first-round pick to potentially sliding to day two of the draft.