Colorado OC claps back at criticisms of Shedeur Sanders' arm strength, athleticism

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders lacking "elite traits" and tossing "a decent percentage of wobblers" during his pro day workout on April 4 caused takes about his arm strength and athleticism to resurface.

This comes amid rumors claiming he could remain available until the Pittsburgh Steelers spend the 21st overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.

During a recent chat with ESPN New York Giants reporter Jordan Raanan, Colorado offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur responded to the criticisms that have hovered over Sanders throughout the draft process.

"I think the 31 teams that don't pick him are going to find out that those two things [lack of arm strength and athleticism] aren't correct," Shurmur said about Sanders. "I mean, I think he's got a really good arm, and when you talk about arm talent, you talk about being able to make all the throws, being able to throw the ball accurately and being able to throw the ball with touch. And I think he can do all those things. I think of all the throws that you can make in college, and they're pretty similar to what you would make in the NFL, I don't know of any throw he can't make. So I think that would dispel that myth."

The Giants reportedly are not "in love with" the idea of taking Sanders over either Penn State pass-rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter with the draft's third overall pick. Numerous stories have indicated that the Tennessee Titans making Miami's Cam Ward, the consensus top quarterback in this year's class, the draft's first choice is essentially a done deal. The Cleveland Browns (pick No. 2) and Las Vegas Raiders (No. 6) are also expected to pass on Sanders. 

As part of predicting in his latest mock draft that the New Orleans Saints will grab Sanders with the ninth overall pick, ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. mentioned that the polarizing prospect "playing in the NFC South with good weather and a few indoor stadiums would ease any arm strength concerns." Shurmur sounds confident that Sanders could thrive playing home games in any environment. 

"I think he's got really good sense of timing," Shurmur added about Sanders. "He knows how to work in the pocket, but he does know how to scramble and make yards. You see a lot of quarterbacks that are able to do that. ...I think Shedeur can do all those things. He's able to keep plays alive. There's a heroic nature that he has, and he can make plays off-schedule. So I don't know what all that means about athletic ability. I think there's a lot of people in the world that can run really fast and jump."

Sanders seems keen on joining the Saints, Steelers or Raiders, but there's no guarantee any of those clubs will select a quarterback with a first-round pick on the night of April 24. Wherever he lands, Sanders should have plenty of bulletin-board material to serve as motivation when he begins springtime workouts with the first employer of his pro career.