Shedeur Sanders Compared to Joe Burrow, Geno Smith, Tyrod Taylor by NFL Scouts

A poll of 15 NFL scouts revealed Joe Burrow, Geno Smith and Tyrod Taylor as the most common comparisons for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, ESPN's Jordan Reid reported.

One AFC North scout compared Sanders to Burrow because of his ability to perform under pressure, according to Reid.

"He's Burrow because they're just never phased in those high-pressure situations and plays with swag," the area scout said, per Reid. "Does [Sanders] have plenty that he needs to clean up? Sure, but that type of calming presence is why Joe came into the AFC and it didn't take him long for him to experience success."

One of the high-pressure situations noted by scouts was Sanders' ability to lead Colorado to victory in a come-from-behind double-overtime win in Week 3 of the 2023 season, according to Reid. The comeback included a 45-yard touchdown pass with less than one minute left on the clock.

One AFC executive said Sanders reminded him of Taylor because of his "stability" after finding success at both Jackson State and Colorado.

"Tyrod's stability is why he's continued to stay in the league forever, [but] I'm not saying the kid will be a sixth-round pick like [Taylor] was," the executive told Reid.

Sanders is projected as a potential top-10 pick in early mocks in part due to the value of quarterbacks at the top of the draft, as Brent Sobleski noted for Bleacher Report.

He is not projected as a No. 1 pick like Burrow was in 2020, but is currently expected to go higher than Smith (Round 2) or Taylor (Round 6).

Just how high Sanders climbs up teams' draft boards this season will hinge in part on the Buffaloes' roster improvements after Sanders was sacked 52 times during Colorado's 4-8 campaign. Fielding a better offensive line next season could allow Sanders to work on avoiding sacks while giving him more opportunities to perform in meaningful games.