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Shedeur Sanders Uses Birthday Wish To Make Bold NFL Draft Request

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Parker Johnson | Last updated Feb 6, 2025 9:37 PM ET

Super Bowl LIX is the main event in New Orleans this week, but for the 30 NFL teams besides the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, the 2025 NFL Draft is also on their minds.

The same could be said of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who used his trip to the Big Easy to celebrate his 23rd birthday, enjoy some beignets and make a public NFL Draft request in the process.

Sanders is ranked as the No. 2 QB in the 2025 draft class by Athlon Sports' Luke Easterling, trailing only Miami's Cam Ward.

His outstanding senior season for the Buffaloes of 4,134 passing yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions put him in consideration for multiple teams inside the top five picks of Easterling's latest mock draft.

Much has been made of the teams Sanders — and his father-coach, Deion Sanders — would prefer to draft him. When asked by his brother Deion Sanders Jr. to share his birthday wish, Shedeur's ambitious draft request was not about himself.

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"My birthday wish?" Sanders said while blowing out the candles. "I need my Colorado players to get drafted.”

One player that will fly off the board is two-way star Travis Hunter, who is ranked by Easterling as the top wide receiver and the top cornerback prospect. He is in play for the Tennessee Titans with the No. 1 overall pick, but went to the Cleveland Browns at No. 2 in our latest mock.

Shedeur. Deion Jr. Deion. #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/jYsHZYiPY1
— NFL (@NFL) February 7, 2025

Beyond the Buffs' dynamic pass-catching duo — Sanders is projected to go to the Las Vegas Raiders at No. 6 — the wish for the quarterback to see his teammates drafted becomes more dubious.

Colorado's next-best prospect is Shedeur's older brother Shilo Sanders, but the 24-year-old safety and the rest of his teammates rank outside the top 224 prospects, per NFL Draft Buzz.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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