Shedeur Sanders shows accuracy at Colorado pro day, while Travis Hunter mostly sits it out

Eric Galko, director of football operations for the Shrine Bowl, logged Sanders as completing 58 of 63 passes during the workout, and three of the incompletions were drops. Again, it’s far from a game situation but it should reinforce the accuracy that Sanders displayed throughout his college career.

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It didn’t seem to be the type of pro day workout that has teams buzzing and changing their draft board in a dramatic way, but Sanders reinforced his strengths.

Colorado’s pro day draws an audience

For most of the 2000s, Colorado’s program was far off the map. There wasn’t any NFL talent coming through Boulder. In 2011, cornerback Jimmy Smith and offensive tackle Nate Solder were first-round picks. Before that, the Buffaloes hadn’t had a first-round pick since 2003.

On Friday, CU’s pro day was televised live by NFL Network. The program has come a long way since Deion Sanders took over.

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While Colorado has some possible third-day picks, the show on Friday was all about Shedeur Sanders and Hunter. Both could end up as top five picks — Colorado hasn’t had a top-five pick since Michael Westbrook in 1995 — but Sanders had a few more questions to answer than Hunter.

With Sanders, the projections on where he might go in the draft vary wildly. That’s because while he was a productive quarterback who elevated the programs at Jackson State and then Colorado, there are concerns about his arm strength, athleticism and size. He seems to still be in play for the Cleveland Browns with the No. 2 overall pick, or could slide in the first round.

Deion Sanders, Shedeur’s father and a Pro Football Hall of Famer, was pumping up both of his stars to NFL teams.

“He and Travis Hunter, to me, are the most bankable two young men in this draft. What can surprise you?” Deion Sanders said on NFL Network. “What can surprise you? Shedeur, nothing but consistency with some of the dysfunctional situations, that I may say, that we placed him in. But he still exceeded all expectations. I think he holds the record for completion percentage in college football, right? He’s that guy. And Travis Hunter, ain’t nobody like him. We can search far and near and you’re not going to find anybody like him.

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“If you’re talking about consistency of two guys that you know, I don’t care what happens on that field or in life, you know what they’re going to do.”

Shedeur Sanders made a sales pitch himself.

“All I need is an opportunity. Simple,” Sanders told ESPN. “Whatever franchise want to change their franchise, then it’s no doubt who to go with. I’ve done it. Over and over and over. So, you’d be a fool not to pick me.”

Travis Hunter has some crisp routes

Hunter seems to be a lock to go in the top five, and could be as high as second to the Browns. Hunter is one of the most fascinating prospects in NFL Draft history. He could be the top cornerback or top receiver in the draft if he picked only one position. He won a Heisman Trophy last season because he was elite at both positions.

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Teams high in the draft will have to figure out if they want Hunter to be a cornerback, receiver or both. The Browns have said they see him as a receiver. Browns general manager Andrew Berry said he sees Hunter primarily as a receiver. Other teams could use him as a cornerback, while teams like the Titans have said they believe he can do both. Hunter didn’t work out at the NFL scouting combine, so Friday’s pro day was supposed to get more data points on a unique athlete. Hunter ran some impressive routes with multiple sudden moves, but did not do much else.

“Why would he do more?” Deion Sanders said on NFL Network. “Some guys that need it, some guys that have it and the only thing they can do is hurt it.

“He’s got three years of superb film to his credit. You ain’t seen it? What do you need to see?”