Shilo Sanders may not have been selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, but the former Colorado safety still has a shot to be playing on the NFL gridiron this fall. Sanders, the son of NFL legend and Colorado coach Deion Sanders, signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent and coach Todd Bowles has liked what he’s seen in terms of Sanders’ development thus far in training camp.
“He’s coming along. He’s getting the scheme down,” Bowles said. “He’s made plays like everybody else back there. There are a few tests that come up during the preseason — Tuesday night was one, and the other three preseason games and practices will be others. He’s got a chance to make it.”
While Antoine Winfield Jr. and Tykee Smith may have the starting spots locked up, Sanders could earn a depth role behind them if he performs well in the preseason and throughout the remainder of training camp. After all, the team didn’t select any safeties in the draft.
Colorado players, coaches react to Deion Sanders’ cancer scare, boosted by his ‘amazing’ return to campus
Cody Nagel
Sanders, 25, logged six seasons at the collegiate level after starting off his career at South Carolina. Once his father took the Jackson State head-coaching job in 2021, Sanders transferred there for the next two seasons. He then followed his father to Colorado for his final two seasons. Across his two seasons with the Buffs, he accumulated 137 tackles, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, three tackles for loss and two defensive touchdowns — one on an 80-yard interception return and another on a fumble recovery.
Shortly after the Bucs began training camp, Deion Sanders visited the team to watch his son in action.
“He came to visit his son; he didn’t come to visit me,” Bowles said regarding Deion’s visit. “He strictly came to see Shilo. I guarantee you he didn’t come to see me. Not that I don’t like him, but he’s a father going to visit his son. Who wouldn’t be proud to have their son trying out in the NFL?”
It’s certainly going to be a tougher road for Sanders to make the team out of camp considering that he went undrafted. Still, he’ll have three big opportunities to prove himself to Bowles and the coaching staff, beginning with Tampa Bay’s preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans on Aug. 9.
Add Comment