Deion Sanders suggests Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders will force their way to certain NFL teams: 'It's gonna be an Eli'

Colorado has two of the top prospects for the 2025 NFL Draft on the roster in quarterback Shedeur Sanders and defensive back, receiver and general playmaker Travis Hunter. And head coach Deion Sanders suggested on a recent podcast interview that his son and Hunter could try to use their leverage to force their way to certain NFL teams.

Or, as Sanders put it, avoid some others or the cities the team is in. He explained his thought process on the “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” podcast.

He got into the subject discussing where he suspects the duo will be drafted — he said both will be Top 4 picks and one might be No. 1 overall.

“Now, all this is subjective because I know what I want, kind of want them to go. And let’s not forget Shilo [Sanders]. But I know where I want them to go. So there’s certain cities that it ain’t going to happen. Going to be a Manning — I’m sorry, it’s going to be an Eli,” Sanders said.

Sanders is of course making reference to how Eli Manning used the threat of not playing and other leverage to get the then-San Diego Chargers to not make him their franchise quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick. The Chargers took Manning No. 1 overall and was then traded to the New York Giants less than an hour later in the 2004 NFL Draft.

To date, no other instance of such a power play from such a high-level prospect has actually panned out, though Caleb Williams apparently flirted with similar ideas during this lead up to the 2024 NFL Draft this year.

So it does seem like a long shot that Sanders and his sons or Hunter can create enough leverage to truly spook an NFL franchise out of picking them. But then again, it also seemed like a long shot that a No. 1 overall recruit would end playing at Jackson State and then Colorado for Sanders.

Deion remains high on Shedeur’s draft prospects

Sanders spoke about his son’s draft stock during a spring press conference for Colorado recently. At a question about Shedeur, he got everything out there in regards to what he knows about where a team would have taken him next month.

“Shedeur – let’s just get this straight. Let’s get the elephant in the room. Shedeur would have been a high draft pick this year,” Sanders said. “Let’s just stop the foolishness and you get mad when I tell you.”

Sanders continued by going down his list of connections at the next level that should prove that he’s speaking facts over generated fiction. With those mind, he believed enough that Shedeur had the chance to be the top quarterback but, more likely, the second quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“The only reason I know that is because don’t you think I know people in the NFL?” Sanders said. “I’m sorry. I played for how many years, 14? Got a gold jacket at the crib, I think. I think I know some people. You know, the Jerry Jones’, Arthur Blanks. I know some people in the game – the Roger Goodells. I know some people. So, when I speak, I’m not just throwing stuff out of my head. I’m throwing stuff based on knowledge.”

“So let’s just get that straight. If Shedeuer would’ve gone in the draft this year, he probably would have been the second (quarterback),” Sanders said. “He wouldn’t have been the first quarterback off the board. I think he had the ability but he probably would’ve been the second quarterback off the board.”