The biggest story of the 2025 NFL Draft was the shocking fall of quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders was a projected first-round pick but slipped all the way to the fifth round before finally being selected by the Cleveland Browns.
Flying under the radar in Shedeur’s shadow was Deion’s other son, Shilo Sanders. A defensive back like his father, Shilo went undrafted but ultimately signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sanders has made a strong first impression both on and off the field since arriving in Tampa Bay. But with training camp now underway, the evaluation process truly begins when the pads come on. He’ll have his work cut out for him as he tries to carve out a spot on a talented Buccaneers roster.
On the first day of training camp, Deion Sanders was present at One Buc Place to observe practice, chat with head coach Todd Bowles, and—one can assume—subtly lobby for his son’s spot on the final roster.
But with a Tampa Bay team chasing a championship, it will be Sanders’ play that makes or breaks his chances—regardless of his father’s presence or the popularity and publicity Shilo brings with him.
Across six college seasons, Sanders totaled 184 tackles, six forced fumbles, and six interceptions while playing for South Carolina, Jackson State and Colorado.
His biggest hurdle has been staying healthy. He played just seven games in 2022 before suffering an ACL injury and missed another three games last season with a broken forearm.
If Sanders can stay healthy throughout the offseason program, demonstrate an understanding of Bowles’ complex scheme, and continue earning the trust of his teammates, he’ll have a real shot at a roster spot when the season rolls around.
He’s already won over All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr., who called Shilo Sanders his favorite rookie teammate.
“He really wants to learn and he just wants to improve his game, and that is something that you admire from somebody coming in who wants to learn and actually play this game,” said Winfield, via a clip shared to X by BucsGameday on SI’s River Wells. “He’s a great kid. He works tremendously hard. I can’t say enough about him.”
Winning over the team’s best defensive player is certainly a great first step for Shilo. Having Winfield Jr. vouch for him in the position room could prove to be invaluable as roster decisions approach.
But again, it’s what happens when the pads come on that will ultimately determine his fate. For an undrafted rookie, carving out a role on defense is a steep climb, which means Sanders’ clearest path to the 53-man roster likely lies on special teams.
Fortunately, that may be where he can shine. With a reputation as a willing tackler and prior experience contributing on special teams at the college level, Sanders has the tools to make an impact in that phase of the game, and that could be his ticket to sticking around in Tampa Bay.
He’s undoubtedly one of the key players to watch as training camp continues to unfold, and it’s not just because of the name on the back of his jersey.