Joel Klatt puts Shedeur Sanders firmly in top three of Heisman conversation

Colorado has turned heads early in the season starting off the year 2-0 in their first season under new head coach Deion Sanders. But his quarterback and son Shedeur Sanders has been one of the major catalysts in the Buffaloes’ hot start.

Sanders has dazzled with his play, helping lead an offense that’s ranked second in the country in passing yards per game through two weeks. So much so that college football analyst Joel Klatt believes that he’s planted himself firmly in the Heisman Trophy conversation early in the season.

“Shedeur Sanders at this point in the season has put himself I think squarely within the top three conservatively in the Heisman Trophy conversation,” Klatt said. “You have to start with Caleb Williams and we’ll get to that in a moment because we’re going to talk about USC in this show. But Shedeur Sanders is in that conversation, there’s no doubt about it. You think of the numbers that he’s put up, the fact that he has not turned the ball over, he’s playing remarkably well.”

Sanders’ numbers are hard to deny, as he’s completed 69 of his 89 pass attempts for 903 yards and six touchdowns through two weeks. His passing yards number ranks second in the nation only behind Hawaii‘s Brayden Schager, who has played in three games this season after participating in Week 0’s action.

His play has been particularly sharp to close out games, accounting for five touchdowns in the second half of games this season. But the one knock on him can be his taking of sacks, as he also ranks second in the nation in sacks with 11 already this season, seven of which were in the Buffaloes latest game against Nebraska.

“Shedeur at times was taking sacks that he shouldn’t have, happened on that series by the way first and goal from the one [yard line] they throw the ball it’s incomplete, they run it they get stuffed, then they try to throw it again,” Klatt explained.

“And I’m thinking to myself this might be four down territory, why wouldn’t you go for it on fourth and one, go back to the run game on fourth down? He takes a big sack. Forces his coach’s hand, happens to be his dad, into kicking that field goal. Things like that will get better. It wasn’t even his best game, almost threw for 400 yards.”

Sanders’ miscue in the third quarter was followed by an impressive two straight drives that ended in Colorado touchdowns, including one capped off by a six-yard rushing touchdown with 4:54 left in the game to seal the deal.

He’ll have a big opportunity to keep building on his early Heisman hype in Week 3, as the Buffaloes take center stage yet again hosting Colorado State on Saturday at 10:00 p.m. ET in a game airing on ESPN.