Shedeur Sanders Compared to Joe Burrow, Geno Smith, Tyrod Taylor by NFL Scouts | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats and Rumors

BOULDER, COLORADO - APRIL 27: Quarterback Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes warms up before the spring game at Folsom Field on April 27, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

A survey of 15 NFL scouts found that Joe Burrow, Geno Smith and Tyrod Taylor are the players most often compared to Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, ESPN’s Jordan Reid reported.

According to Reid, one AFC North scout compared Sanders to Burrow because of his ability to handle pressure.

“He’s Burrow because they just never get rattled in those high-pressure situations and they play with verve,” a scout from the area said, according to Reid. “Does (Sanders) have a lot of things he needs to clean up? Sure, but that type of calming presence is why Joe came to the AFC, and it didn’t take him long to experience success.”

One of the high-pressure moments noted by scouts was Sanders’ ability to lead Colorado to a win in a double-overtime victory in Week 3 of the 2023 season, according to Reid. The comeback included a 45-yard touchdown pass with less than a minute left.

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“I was just thinking about Brady mode.” 🗣️

– Shedeur Sanders on his 98-yard game-tying drive pic.twitter.com/J94NCevgtK

One AFC executive said Sanders reminded him of Taylor because of his “stability” after successes at Jackson State and Colorado.

“Tyrod’s stability is the reason he’s been in the league forever, (but) I’m not saying this kid is going to be a sixth-round draft pick like (Taylor),” the executive told Reid.

Early simulations have Sanders as a potential top-10 pick, in part because of the value of quarterbacks at the top of the draft, as Brent Sobleski known from Bleacher Report.

He is not projected to be selected No. 1 overall like Burrow was in 2020, but he is currently projected to go higher than Smith (Round 2) or Taylor (Round 6).

How high Sanders climbs up teams’ draft boards this season will depend in part on the Buffaloes’ improvement in the lineup after Sanders was sacked 52 times during Colorado’s 4-8 campaign. Fielding a better offensive line next season could allow Sanders to work on avoiding sacks while also giving him more opportunities to play in meaningful games.