Deion Sanders has been studying USC quarterback Caleb Willliams’ draft process very closely, because if his son Shedeur has the season that he’s projected to have throwing the ball, the 6-foot-2 multi-talented QB could find himself in a similar situation in 2025.
Being a No. 1 overall pick comes with extreme pressure, and you’re usually going to a team that isn’t very good. Those factors are tough enough for a rookie quarterback trying to break into the NFL.
Sanders expressed some other concerns for Williams and how he will fare in Chicago’s cold weather, being a kid who played the majority of his football in California.
Deion Sanders Says Teams Drafting Caleb Williams Should Consider Weather Conditions
The 22-year-old grew up in Washington, D.C., so he’s not totally oblivious to Northeast-type weather conditions, but Sanders doesn’t think it benefits Williams at all to be in potential frigid temperatures.
“Let me tell you something that I have a problem with. And this kid can flat-out play. I think he’s the best one on the board this year for sure. A kid that’s coming from California for the last couple years, right? And went to Oklahoma. That’s not terribly cold. Chicago’s cold, man,” Sanders told Mad Dog Sports Radio, via ProFootballTalk.
Weather is something that most draft picks don’t get to control. Teams such as Chicago, Minnesota, Green Bay and Northeast squads such as the New York Giants and Jets and Buffalo Bills often play in weather conditions that create challenges for quarterbacks in the fall and into the winter.
Playing in Chicago in -5 degree weather conditions in late November is totally different from playing in Dome-controlled environment, in the South or on the West Coast. Every QB isn’t built to brave those conditions.
It kind of sounds like a cop-out or Deion providing Williams with excuses if he doesn’t pan out in Chicago.
“You gotta think about that kind of stuff when you’re taking a young man. Like, see, when you take a guy from Ohio State and you bring him to Chicago, OK, I could understand that. But from California to Chicago? Not only that, but they also added what? One or two more games in the NFL. Seventeen games. Come on, man. You gotta factor in that stuff. That stuff matters.”
Deion Sanders Doesn’t Want Shedeur Sanders Drafted By Cold-Weather Franchise
Sanders’ son, Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, will enter the 2025 NFL draft as one of the first quarterbacks projected to be taken. Deion expressed his fear that his son will be dealing with a similar situation as Williams.
“Like, I don’t want my kid [Shedeur] going nowhere cold next year. He grew up in Texas. He played in Jackson, played in Colorado. Season’s over before it gets cold in Colorado. I’m just thinking way ahead. I don’t want that for him.”
Sanders brings up a point that is not often discussed when media members talk about quarterbacks and potential draft picks. There’s a significant advantage when it comes to throwing the ball effectively, for those quarterbacks who don’t have to concern themselves with wind or unfamiliar temperatures.
In a day and age where players are calling more of their shots and more concerned about their brand than ever before, Shedeur Sanders’ personality would certainly fit better with a warm-weather, big market team. He doesn’t seem to be a good fit for a team such as Chicago or Green Bay or any other cold-weather squad with a blue-collar mentality.
Deion Sanders Warning Certain NFL Teams To Stay Away From Shedeur In 2025 Draft?
Deion won’t be able to control where his son gets drafted in 2025, but he does know how to get his point across strategically. Coach Prime was laying the basic groundwork for his son’s draft process. Letting certain teams know from early that Sanders wouldn’t thrive in cold weather. This nugget will undoubtedly make its way back to the forefront of the media as next year’s NFL draft approaches and potential teams begin showing interest in drafting Shedeur.
Caleb Williams has all of the raw skills that suggest he could be the franchise QB Chicago is looking for. The trade of Justin Fields ended any speculation about the Bears trading away the No. 1 pick. The way he and his dad have conducted his recruiting and draft process, however, suggests that Williams needs ideal conditions in order to be comfortable.
The Bears already have personnel challenges that Williams will have to deal with the same as Justin Fields did. Having to go through such a difficult learning process in unfavorable weather conditions is something no first round QB with savior expectations want to deal with. Shedeur won’t have that problem until 2025, but Sanders, as we know, loves to stay ahead of the game.
