Shilo Sanders, SAF, Colorado
Size:
Height: 6’0” | Weight: 195 lbs
Accomplishments:
Second Team All-SWAC (2021)
Impact Statement:
“Shilo Sanders is an experienced safety who brings physicality when playing downhill.”
Strengths:
Route anticipation
Experience
Physicality
Concerns:
Athleticism
Missed tackles
On-ball production
Footwork
In-play Film Analysis:
Shilo Sanders is a six-year player from the University of Colorado with prior stops at South Carolina and Jackson State. At Jackson State, he earned second-team All-SWAC honors in 2021. Over the course of his career, Sanders compiled 184 total tackles, six interceptions, and six forced fumbles. In 2023, he led the Buffaloes with 67 tackles and four forced fumbles.
Sanders primarily plays as a deep safety, often playing in the deep half in Colorado’s Cover 2 scheme or as the deep middle-of-the-field safety. Sanders also has shown the ability to line up in the box versus condensed sets by the offense. Sanders is a downhill player by nature who loves to be a big-hitter out of the deep post. He is aggressive on both ball-carriers and blockers, showcasing a physical edge to his game. Sanders has produced a multitude of highlights laying big hits on opposing receivers running crossing routes.
Sanders’ experience is evident in the way he disguises his coverage presnap and diagnoses plays. His ability to anticipate routes allows him to sometimes beat receivers to their spot, a trait that comes with his wealth of experience across multiple levels of competition.
However, there are notable concerns regarding Sanders as an NFL prospect. One major concern is his overall athleticism. His movements are often stiff and jerky, lacking the fluidity typically desired in a defensive back. His top-end speed is a major question mark, and he struggles with quick, clean transitions—often rounding off cuts instead of planting his foot and driving. His footwork is inefficient, and he lacks the smoothness needed when backpedaling and transitioning out of breaks.
Despite priding himself on his physicality, Sanders misses a lot of tackles. Sanders is oftentimes looking for the big hit and fails to consistently wrap up and finish the tackle. He can play out of control which leads to him overrunning ball carriers. Sanders struggles with open-field tackles, sometimes failing to even get a hand on the ball-carrier.
Another concern is his lack of on-ball production in 2024. Despite being an every-snap player, Sanders recorded just one forced fumble, zero interceptions, and two pass breakups—numbers that raise questions about his impact in coverage.
Overall, Sanders brings a strong physical presence to the game but has work to do to refine some parts of his game as he hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps as a defensive back in the NFL. He projects as an undrafted free agent, with a chance to prove himself during camp and take full advantage of any opportunities that come his way.
Prospect Projection: Priority UDFA
Exposures: North Dakota State (2024), Kansas State (2024), Utah (2024), BYU (2024)
