Darrell Colbert Jr. reveals surprising NFL comparison for Shedeur Sanders

Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders is one of the top quarterback prospects in college football, and widely expected to be one of the top picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. But pinning down an NFL comparison for Sanders is a bit of a challenge.

For one, he’s only had one season of FBS play under his belt, and it was behind a very shoddy offensive line. Even still, he showed enough for private quarterback coach and former gunslinger himself, Darrell Colbert Jr., to offer a lofty comparison: Joe Burrow.

“He had said, he compared you to Joe Burrow,” Colbert said on Sanders’ new podcast. “And I felt like that was right on for it. Like, sneaky athletic, being able to extend plays, taking care of the football, playing from inside the pocket. A lot of different stuff. So, if I had to say somebody, I think Joe Burrow is a good fit for somebody that’s playing right now and doing some stuff. You could say a little bit of what Dak [Prescott] does, as well. But I think Joe Burrow was a good fit.”

Burrow is slightly taller and, at this point, likely a little bulkier than Sanders, but it’s not hard to see a similarity or two in their plays styles.

Both quarterbacks manage to punish defenses out of structure and, despite not having overwhelming arm strength, can always seem to use their mix of touch, placement and sense of timing to get the ball on target, on time.

Biggest question mark for Sanders to answer, and one Burrow had less of an issue addressing in college, is how he plays from the pocket. It was, simply, hard to get a really clean gauge on that aspect of Sanders’ game and through little fault of his own, as the Colorado offensive line afforded him few chances. When he did have a clean space to work, Sanders showed a decent acumen for pocket passing, but needs to overcome his tendency to hang on to the ball and hunt a big play.

While neither quarterback will be considered as dual threats, either, they both have enough speed and awareness to go and take yards when they’re available on the ground. Both prefer to do their damage with their right arm, though.

And if Sanders can do something similar to what Burrow did in his final college season, it’s a safe bet he’ll be right at the top of draft boards in April.