NFL Scouting Combine week has come and gone, but one of the most notable names was missing from on-field drills—Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders.
Sanders has been highly predicted to be a top-five selection for a while now, finishing the 2024 season with 4,134 passing yards, 37 touchdowns, and the coveted Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honor. However, he was missing from the Indianapolis workouts. Why did he choose not to participate?
NFL Legend Warren Sapp Defends Shedeur Sanders’ Combine Opt-Out
Colorado Buffaloes QB Shedeur Sanders’ decision to skip NFL Combine workouts has raised many questions. But the question most often asked is, will this decision affect his draft position? Well, the Hall of Famer has decided to silence the questions.
Warren Sapp, who was recently promoted as the Colorado Buffaloes’ pass-rush coordinator, appeared on the “Thee Pregame Network” podcast to defend the quarterback and set the record straight. In true Sapp style, he did so with a story of his own.
Sapp said it! https://t.co/2CIKn9vPuN
— Thee Pregame Show (@theepregameshow) February 27, 2025
“I’m going to teach you—the Combine is not designed for you to make money,” Sapp said. Warren Sapp backed his point up with an anecdote from the year he got drafted. In 1995, Sapp walked into the Scouting Combine as a projected top-10 pick. And the New York Giants were the first to greet him.
As Sapp himself puts it, “You know that big-a** Starter jacket we used to love back in the day? I was like, ‘Are you gonna give me a red, white, and blue one with New York on it?’ I was like, ‘Whaat? Yeah, I’ll take your test.'” However, the test was a rather annoying 454-question true-or-false exam.
MORE ON SHEDEUR: NFL Legend Marshall Faulk Makes Prediction for Sanders’ Landing Spot
Sapp said he made it through about 250 questions before looking up and realizing the Giants were picking 27th in the first round!
As soon as the realization hit, Warren Sapp simply said, “OK, you keep that jacket, buddy.” According to Sapp, that is still the state of Combine Week.
“The Combine is not to make money—the Combine is to find talent,” he said. “And then they’ll be like, ‘OK, we can get him in the third round or something.’ That’s all it’s about.”
But how does this play into Sanders’ decision to sit out of on-field drills?
Well, evidently, according to Sapp, it’s simply a smart one to make. After rejecting the New York Giants, Sapp later saw Tampa Bay pick him in Round 1 at No. 12. The rest is history. Warren Sapp went on to appear in seven straight Pro Bowls, win a Defensive Player of the Year award, and hoist the Super Bowl’s Lombardi Trophy.
Sanders deciding to focus on interviews and waiting for his Pro Day in Boulder, Colo., is simply him playing it smart. By doing so, Sanders is controlling his own narrative. And if history is testimony, a draft day slide doesn’t mean much once you hit the field. Just ask Warren Sapp.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
