Shedeur Sanders chose to play a second year of college football at Colorado in 2024, his fourth season overall, instead of entering the NFL Draft. His father, Deion Sanders, doesn’t want people to get it twisted.

The decision to return had nothing to do with Shedeur’s status in this year’s class, which is incredibly deep at the quarterback position. Or so he says.

Coach Prime spoke about his son’s draft stock earlier this week. In doing so, he touted his connections to the NFL and made a bold claim about how things would have played out if his son declared as a junior instead of running it back.

“Shedeur – let’s just get this straight,” Sanders said. “Let’s get the elephant in the room. Shedeur would have been a high draft pick this year. Let’s stop the foolishness and you get mad when I tell you.”

While that might sound like fiction, Deion name-dropped a lot of important figures in the NFL to prove that he is coming from a place of fact.

“The only reason I know that is because, don’t you think I know people in the NFL? I’m sorry. I played for how many years, 14? Got a gold jacket at the crib, I think,” he said. “I think I know some people. You know, the Jerry Jones’, Arthur Blanks. I know some people in the game – the Roger Goodells. I know some people. So, when I speak, I’m not just throwing stuff out of my head. I’m throwing stuff based on knowledge.”

With those connections in mind, he truly believes that Shedeur Sanders would have been the second signal-caller to be drafted this April. It is safe to assume that Caleb Williams is a lock at No. 1.

“So let’s just get that straight. If Shedeur would’ve gone in the draft this year, he probably would have been the second (quarterback),” Sanders said. “He wouldn’t have been the first quarterback off the board. I think he had the ability but he probably would’ve been the second quarterback off the board.”

Considering the talent that has already announced their plans to turn pro, Deion’s claim is striking. Shedeur would have been in a class alongside:

• Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams
• Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels
• Drake Maye
• J.J. McCarthy
• Bo Nix
• Michael Penix Jr.
• Spencer Rattler

And yet, the Hall of Famer’s son chose to play a final year in Boulder. Considering that next year’s class includes Quinn Ewers, Carson Beck, Cam Ward, Drew Allar, Riley Leonard, Will Howard and Dillon Gabriel, among others, it will be interesting to see where Shedeur lands in that group.