Shedeur Sanders stat highlights NFL Draft prospect's high ceiling

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders has NFL Draft scouts buzzing about his ability to do one important thing.

Sep 7, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) looks to pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders has piqued the interest of the NFL Draft scouting community. His ability to consistently make big plays deep downfield are an asset that NFL teams are always clamoring to acquire.

Rob Paul of Sportsbook Review highlighted this skill following Sanders' outstanding performance in Week 3 of the college football season. Against the Colorado State Rams, Sanders made four big-time throws, showing off his big arm and downfield accuracy in the process.

According to Pro Football Focus, which tallies this advanced stat, a big-time throw is determined to be a throw that exhibits “excellent ball location and timing, generally thrown further down the field and/or into a tighter window.”

Here is one prime example of Sanders making this type of throw in the first game of the season:

Shedeur Sanders is a MAGICIAN 🪄

Big time throw while taking a huge hit.pic.twitter.com/GrUwf3NvYH

— Real Friends & Football (@rff_football) August 30, 2024

It's not just the big-time throws that stand out, though. Through three games this season, Sanders has put up impressive stats overall. The senior gunslinger has completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 999 yards with nine touchdowns and just two interceptions.

What Sanders is doing is even more impressive when you consider how poorly his offensive line has played throughout the young season so far. Though Sanders has taken just seven sacks, the Buffaloes offensive line has allowed an astonishing 45 pressures on just 136 drop backs.

On 136 drop backs, Colorado has allowed 45 pressures, a horrendous 33% overall pressure rate

Funnily enough, Baylor's OL also is allowing a 33% rate, just only on 81 drop backs.

— Travis Roeder (@Travis_Roeder) September 17, 2024

The counter to Colorado's offensive line play is, of course, that Sanders has fellow NFL Draft prospect Travis Hunter running routes. Hunter and Sanders have impeccable chemistry, and the two of them are both likely to end up as very high draft picks next April.

One thing Sanders must do better going forward is not depending so much on big plays. That is something NFL teams are going to need him to do at the next level. And it's the way to keep the chains moving from week to week, at any level.

But nobody can deny the wow factor this kid brings to the table. Any snap can result in a touchdown throw from anywhere on the field. He's got a special arm, and that is something NFL teams covet in a big way.