JD PicKell: Shedeur Sanders is key to Colorado's season

When Deion Sanders was announced as the head coach at Colorado, he pointed to his son, Shedeur, in the audience. When he did so, he had a message for Buffaloes fans — and Shedeur.

“Where’s Shedeur?” the elder Sanders said. “This is your quarterback. He’s gonna have to earn it, though.”

Sure enough, Shedeur Sanders entered the transfer portal a few days later and left Jackson State to play for his father again in Boulder. He put up impressive numbers with the Tigers, throwing for 6,963 yards and 70 touchdowns over two seasons. But the talent level is about to ramp up — and that’s why On3’s J.D. PicKell said Sanders’ development is going to be something to monitor this season.

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“How quickly is Shedeur Sanders able to translate to the FBS level?” PicKell said on “The Hard Count” this week. “Because as someone who’s played at both the FCS and the FBS level myself, the speed of the game is very, very different. That’s not to knock the FCS level. I’m just saying the guys at the FBS level are typically where you go and get NFL players from. As the quarterback, you are the one who the entire offense goes through. How quickly does he adjust to that speed of the game? Because those slant routes that were open for a half second longer, they’re now going to be interceptions if you don’t have your timing correct, if you don’t adjust accordingly.

“Now, to be fair, he also has more FBS talent around him, does Shedeur Sanders. He’s also got better receivers. He also, in theory, would have a better offensive line. Again, that’s all hypothetical, but keep an eye on that. I very much believe that Colorado can get to that six-win mark if Shedeur Sanders is able to translate quickly.”

What would success be for Deion Sanders in Year One at Colorado?

Shedeur Sanders is one of the many players “Coach Prime” has pulled out of the portal this cycle. Colorado has landed 24 transfers so far, including Travis Hunter — the No. 1-ranked player to hit the portal, according to the On3 Transfer Portal Rankings. Still, it doesn’t change the fact that the Buffaloes went 1-11 last season.

That’s why PicKell set the bar at six wins and, as a result, a bowl game.

“Success, for me, in Year One for Deion Sanders and for Colorado would be making a bowl game,” PicKell said. “That would be phenomenal. You went 1-11 last year. Deion Sanders is taking over a roster that was not very talented, a program that did not have much success last season. To get them from 1-11 to six wins would be phenomenal.

“I think a lot of that hinges on Shedeur Sanders, who I fully expect to be the starting quarterback for Colorado. Deion Sanders said it in his opening press conference, ‘That’s your quarterback,’ pointed to Shedeur and said he’s going to have to earn it.”