Former Steelers Star Doubts Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Success: ‘He Won’t Instill Fear in Opponents’

Shedeur Sanders’s drop to the fifth round of the NFL Draft raised eyebrows. Merrill Hoge, a former NFL player, criticized Sanders before the draft, claiming he wouldn’t thrive in the league if picked early. In an interview on April 23 with 102.5 WDVE in Pittsburgh, Hoge shared his thoughts on the Colorado quarterback.

“He’s a solid college player, but his skills are limited,” Hoge stated. He rated Sanders’s accuracy and decision-making as average on a scale of one to ten. “If you’re around a five in college, that doesn’t make you a franchise quarterback,” he said. Hoge highlighted that NFL teams likely agreed with his assessment, leading to Sanders’s unexpected fall in the draft.

Despite leading all FBS quarterbacks with a completion rate of 74%, Hoge argued that this statistic is misleading due to the high number of screen passes Sanders threw. In fact, 35% of Sanders’s throws were at or behind the line of scrimmage, which Hoge believes won’t translate well to the NFL. “You can’t rely on bubble screens in the pros; that simply won’t work,” he noted.

Hoge also pointed out that successful quarterbacks like CJ Stroud and Joe Burrow are operating on a different level compared to Sanders. “He’s not even in the same ballpark in terms of skills,” Hoge claimed. His concerns intensified as he noted Sanders struggled late in the 2024 season, particularly during a poor outing in the Alamo Bowl where the Buffaloes lost 36-14.

Interestingly, this debate reflects broader trends in college football recruitment. Many teams are now focusing on player versatility, which may help them transition into the NFL more smoothly. According to a recent survey by the NCAA, more coaches emphasize adaptability in players over traditional metrics. This suggests that for quarterbacks like Sanders, it’s critical to show proficiency in various offensive styles to stand out.

With Sanders headed to Cleveland, the pressure to perform will be lower, but he may still face tough competition for the starting role against veterans like Joe Flacco. His transition to the NFL remains a hot topic, especially given Hoge’s track record. In 2014, Hoge accurately predicted Johnny Manziel’s struggle in the league, and his words on Sanders bring this concern full circle.

As the NFL prepares for a new season, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if Sanders can prove the critics wrong. It’s a pivotal moment that marks a significant leap—from college star to nearly being overlooked in the draft. The true challenge lies ahead, and only time will tell how his NFL journey unfolds.

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