Shedeur Sanders' coach gets blunt on Joe Burrow comparisons for Colorado QB

The pro comparison most commonly used for Colorado Buffaloes' Shedeur Sanders has been Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow. Both players are known for their accuracy, and Sanders’ quarterbacks coach, Darrell Colbert, thinks that it is a good comparison.

Colbert was asked about it on "The Sick Podcast" on Friday. He said that their play styles are similar.

“So, for Shedeur, I really think Joe Burrow is a good comp," Colbert said. "You know how he plays in the pocket; very sneaky, athletic, extremely accurate. Can make plays on the run. Can extend plays.

If statistics are any indication, Sanders and Burrow had similar draft profiles coming out of college. The Buffs QB led college football with the best completion percentage last season at 74%. Likewise, Burrow was the most accurate QB in his final season at LSU with a 76.3% completion percentage. The Bengals signal-caller has managed to maintain a high level of consistency in the NFL, with his career completion percentage at 68.6%.

Colbert added that their toughness and the way they dealt with constant pressure were also similar.

“Tough guy," Colbert said. "Joe Burrow took a beating in the last couple years, (the) same thing to Shedeur, you know, got up and still made plays, still stood in there and made throws down the field.”

Despite being one of the QBs with the highest pressure rate, Burrow managed to put up historic numbers last year. He had the second-highest pressures but still had the third-highest completion percentage and led the league with 1,438 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Like Burrow, Sanders dealt with a porous offensive line. He was one of the top three most sacked QBs in all of college football in his two years at Colorado. However, he was able to put up excellent numbers, setting a single-season record of throwing for 4,134 yards. Sanders' toughness was also on display as he did not miss a single game during his Buffaloes tenure.

Sanders is working with Colbert in a private capacity to prepare him for the NFL draft.

Shedeur Sanders would be happy to replicate Joe Burrow in reaching the Super Bowl early in his career

If the comparisons are accurate and Shedeur Sanders is similar to Joe Burrow in the NFL, the team drafting him would be happy.

Burrow led the Cincinnati Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance in 33 years in his second season in the league. He has also shattered every single-season passing record in franchise history and the team rewarded him with a five-year $275 million contract extension.

However, Burrow was also plagued by season-ending injuries in his rookie season in 2020 and in 2023, which Sanders will hope not to follow.