Mark Schlereth brushes off Shedeur Sanders' concerns with Tom Brady and Peyton Manning's reference

On April 11, during FS1’s “Breakfast Ball,” former NFL guard Mark Schlereth went straight at the narrative that Shedeur Sanders lacks NFL-level arm talent or athleticism.

Drawing comparisons to Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, Schlereth argued that physical tools are overvalued in the draft conversation. Instead, he emphasized traits like accuracy, timing and command — areas where Sanders already excels. His tone was sharp and unwavering, clearly done with the pre-draft critiques.

Schlereth made it clear: what matters most is whether a quarterback can deliver the ball accurately and on time, not how fast they run or how flashy the arm looks. And by that standard, he believes Shedeur Sanders is more than capable of holding his own at the next level.

“All I hear is, well, he doesn't have the requisite arm talent or athletic ability. Okay, so let's just squelch that, all right? Did Tom Brady have the requisite athletic ability? Did Peyton Manning have the requisite athletic ability? Like arm talent doesn't mean anything to me. Are you accurate?

"You ask anybody who covers the NFL draft, anybody who does this for a living, Shedeur is one of the most accurate quarterbacks in here … Can the guy play? Is he accurate? Does he throw the ball on time? Yes, yes and yes. That means he's gonna be decent,” Schlereth said.

Shedeur Sanders has been stacking numbers since Jackson State. As a freshman in 2021, he threw for 3,231 yards and 30 TDs. The following season, he leveled up, posting 3,732 yards, 40 TDs and just six interceptions, while completing over 70% of his passes. His performance earned him the Deacon Jones Trophy and SWAC Offensive Player of the Year.

Having transferred to Colorado to play under his father, Deion Sanders, he made noise right out the gate. He set a school record with 510 passing yards and four TDs against TCU, followed by 393 yards and three total scores versus Nebraska.

He continued to light it up with five-touchdown performances against Colorado State and Stanford. Despite a back fracture that ended his 2023 season early, he still racked up 3,230 yards, 27 TDs and only three picks in 11 games.

In 2024, he came back stronger, throwing for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns while leading Colorado to a 9–4 finish and an Alamo Bowl appearance.

Shedeur Sanders’ poise under pressure draws Joe Burrow comparison

Elite 11 QB coach Darrell Colbert Jr. was a guest on Friday's "The Rich Eisen Show," and was asked for an NFL player comparison for Shedeur Sanders. He told Eisen and guest host Tom Pelissero:

"Just the way Joe Burrow is always confident, always calm, Shedeur is exactly like that. He's one of those guys who never gets too high, never gets too low. Joe does a great job of being accurate, understanding the system, and where the comparison really holds up is this: remember that year when Joe went to the Super Bowl?

"He was sacked a lot, he was the most sacked quarterback in the NFL and he was still productive. That's who Shedeur (Sanders) is,” Colbert said.

This combination of accuracy, composure and resilience makes Shedeur Sanders an interesting NFL prospect, even if his draft stock remains a topic of much debate.