Why potential No. 1 draft pick Shedeur Sanders won’t play in East-West Shrine Bowl

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the potential No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, won’t participate in practice or play in the East-West Shrine Bowl. Furthermore, each of the teams selecting in the top three of the draft (Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and New York Giants) asked Sanders not to play, supporting a decision he had previously made, according to Yahoo Sports.

Tennessee, Cleveland and New York, who all met with Sanders, are prime candidates to select a quarterback.

“I came here for a purpose, and for a reason — to meet with the teams so they can understand me, and know me,” Sanders said on Saturday. “All the conversations have been positive. Everything has been good. They are surprised when they are finally able to meet me, and it’s not what the media portrays it to be.

“I am a smiling guy, and I’m always happy.”

Shrine Bowl practice begins this coming week, with the game taking place on Jan. 30 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Sanders, who turns 23 next month, totaled 4,134 passing yards, 37 passing touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 168.2 passer rating this season, while completing 74.0% of his passes. He led the Big 12 in passing yards, touchdowns, passer rating and completion percentage, while winning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors. The Buffaloes went 9-4 and finished the season ranked No. 25 in the final AP poll.

Shedeur Sanders 2024 Colorado Buffaloes Full Season Highlights | Future No. 1 Pick?

Sanders spent the past two seasons at Colorado, which followed two seasons at Jackson State. The quarterback’s head coach at both schools was his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. Two-way superstar and 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter was teammates with Sanders at both Colorado and Jackson State.

In November, Deion Sanders told Keyshawn Johnson on FS1’s “Speak” that he would step in if the wrong team tried to draft his son.

Sanders is in competition with Miami Hurricanes Heisman finalist Cam Ward to be the first quarterback selected in the draft. FOX Sports draft analyst Rob Rang mocked Sanders to the Titans, while FOX Sports betting analyst Jason McIntyre recently projected the quarterback to go to the Browns.

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