JD PicKell: Whether Colorado reaches a bowl game in 2024 'falls on Shedeur Sanders'

The Colorado Buffaloes are looking to make it to a bowl game and even potentially compete in the Big 12 in 2024. To do that, On3’s JD PicKell believes that the Buffaloes are going to need quarterback Shedeur Sanders to take a step forward.

As he explained on The Hard Count, PicKell believes that whether or not Colorado is able to make it to a bowl game this season is going to fall on Sanders’ shoulders.

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“So, the key to them being able to hit the over on this number is Shedeur Sanders and all about him progressing from year one to year two at Colorado…[line of scrimmage] is key to where you want to go in terms of competing for conference championships,” PicKell said. “If we’re gonna have that discussion about how you find a way to win six or more ball games, to me it falls on Shedeur Sanders.”

Shedeur Sanders started his college career at Jackson State before following his father, Deion Sanders, to Colorado. He came in and flashed his talent and potential at Colorado, but with a struggling offensive line in front of him, the Buffaloes often struggled on offense, and by the end of the season Sanders was injured.

If he can improve, as PicKell explained, it will actually make things easier for the offensive line and, in turn, the defense as well.

“If Shedeur Sanders can be dialed in, he makes everyone’s job easier. We talked about the offensive line and them having to improve, they did improve by nature of what they did through the portal is my assumption right now. Shedeur Sanders, if he is able to even speed up his own internal shot clock. If he’s able to have a better gauge for what the defense is going pre-snap. Gets the ball out of his hands quicker. Well, you go from asking your offensive line to block for three seconds to asking them to block for two, two and a half seconds. That’s a massive difference. I’m just telling you it’s a massive, massive difference,” PicKell said.

“Talk about the defense and what they didn’t do last year. If Shedeur Sanders is able to keep that offense on the field and be able to continue to keep drives alive, convert on third down. That defensive line is gonna have a little more juice under them. They’re gonna have a little more stamina when it comes to being able to stop the run.”

Shedeur Sanders ended the 2023 season with a completion percentage of 69.3 percent for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns to only three interceptions.

“So, I’m not telling you he’s the end all be all, but when it comes to being able to make a bowl game, to me it really is about Shedeur Sanders. If they can have a little more success downfield throwing the football with Sheduer Sanders, that lightens up the box. That takes away what defenses can do when it comes to stopping the run. Creates more balance,” PicKell said.

“So, all of this, to me, is on the shoulders of Shedeur Sanders. If you want to talk about competing for things past that, you go talk about the trenches.”