A lot has taken place in Boulder, Colorado, since the Buffaloes finished their first season under Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. A few coaches have jettisoned away from scenic Rocky Mountains, some players have already hit the transfer portal and three prominent class of 2025 recruits, including quarterback Antwann Hill, the No.5-ranked signal-caller in the class, have reopened their recruitment.
With much more movement expected this offseason, there’s one thing that needs to happen but most likely won’t. We’ve heard Deion say neither of his sons (Shedeur or Shilo) will declare for the 2024 NFL Draft, but in the case of Shilo he should. Although he has one year of eligibility remaining because of the COVID-19 year, Shilo should forgo that and head to the NFL, and his Hall of Fame dad’s critique of his play this season is part of the reason why.
Coach Prime Raves About Shilo’s Play
There wasn’t much to talk about as it pertains to the Buffaloes defense in 2023 minus some highlight reel plays by two-way star Travis Hunter on the corner. Then there was the consistent play of Shilo which showed up weekly. Sanders acknowledged his middle son in his postgame interview following Saturday’s season-ending loss to Utah.
“Shilo played his butt off this year. He’s not the other brother, he’s Shilo. He’s a force to be reckoned with. he’s dominant at what he does. He comes to play hard and he brings his lunch pail. I’m really proud of him.”
That right there is exactly why the hard-hitting safety who tallied 67 solo tackles and an interception which he returned for a touchdown in 2023 should really consider heading to the NFL in April.
The physicality and toughness that Shilo plays with is a good and bad thing. For starters it’s his calling card, but it’s also part of the reason he’s had some nagging injuries throughout his playing career. This year he suffered a kidney injury that kept him out of a couple of games, but when he returned he was his same aggressive, fast-playing self. That style of play doesn’t have a long shelf life, and another season of that at Colorado with the wear and tear it will bring may not be the best move for him.
Shilo’s Draft Stock
Coming into the season Shilo’s draft stock was pretty non-existent. But after proving he could play at the Power Five and standing out on one of the worst defenses in college football, he’s shown that he’s more than capable of playing at the next level. As of now he’s being mentioned as a possible fourth-round selection, which is good when considering there wasn’t much buzz prior to coming to Boulder.
Another year at Colorado likely won’t improve his stock much better.
