Shilo Sanders looking to improve his draft stock in shadow of brother Shedeur at Colorado’s showcase

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Shilo Sanders is trying to boost his draft stock. He’s also looking for a fresh start.

The hard-hitting, run-stuffing Colorado Buffaloes safety — son of coach Deion Sanders and quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ bigger brother — is taking part in the school’s showcase Friday, where potential draftees go through a series of evaluations (bench press, 40-yard dash, position drills) in front of NFL scouts.

While Shedeur Sanders is a projected top-3 pick on April 24, Shilo is expected to be a late-round pick two days later, if he’s selected at all, in which case he’s hoping to sign with a team as an undrafted free agent.

Away from the field, Shilo Sanders remains in litigation over a lawsuit stemming from an incident with a security guard when he was in high school. The guard filed a lawsuit against Sanders and was issued a default judgment when Sanders didn’t show for his court date.

It’s led Sanders to file for bankruptcy. This week, there was a report the 25-year-old hasn’t kept up on the car payments for his Mercedes-Benz.

Victor Vital, one of Sanders’ attorneys, said in a statement to The Associated Press the Mercedes-Benz issue arose, “due to disruptions in the payment process following the termination of Mr. Sanders’ online account access, a common occurrence in bankruptcy cases.”

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He added: “Mr. Sanders is current on all payments and continues to fulfill his financial obligations.”

Deion Sanders weighed in, too.

“I know some other bull junk came out,” his father/coach said. “But he fulfilled all his financial obligations.”

His father said the negativity that sometimes surrounds his sons has made the draft process “wonderful, expectant, but somewhat ignorant.”

“When they put Sanders on their back, they get attacked by some of you in here right now,” Sanders said. “Once upon a time we had a wall around (college players) and we couldn’t say nothing about them. Now the more popular they are, the more money they are compensated, you guys shoot at them like they’re an adult. You keep forgetting sometimes they’re young men.

“But I’m thankful that we prepared for this from childhood on. They’re built for this and they’re ready for this.”

Shilo Sanders didn’t participate in the bench press at the showcase, but did run the 40-yard dash, where his best time was 4.52 seconds. After his performance, he walked over to his father, who was conducting a television interview, and gave him a hug.

He also supported his brother, Shedeur, as the Big 12 offensive player of the year threw passes in front of scouts to wideouts such as Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, Will Sheppard, LaJohntay Wester and Jimmy Horn Jr. After each completion, especially the deep ones, Shilo applauded — and urged the crowd in the bleachers to do the same.

“I’ve been watching guys’ pro days and then I see Shedeur in real life and I’m like, ‘Dang, he actually is good,’” Shilo Sanders joked.

Just being a team supporter.

“Shilo has been consistency, a pillar of consistency,” Deion Sanders said. “Shilo is an old-school player playing under these new-school guidelines. Shilo is a dawg.

“I’m so darn proud of him. He does not take a back seat to his brother. He does not take a back seat to anybody. He’s a worker.”

Sanders finished third on the Buffaloes with 67 total tackles in a season where the team went to the Alamo bowl and finished 9-4. He also recovered two fumbles, including one he returned for a touchdown at Texas Tech.

He started his college career at South Carolina, before transferring to Jackson State to join his dad and brother. He then followed his family to Colorado, where he wound up his career in Boulder with 111 total tackles. Shilo Sanders took part in the East-West Shrine Bowl earlier this year.

As for why a team should draft him, his selling point was simple.

“If you want a safety that’s going to play like a safety, that’s going to be physical, bring that hat, be a leader in the secondary, take coaching, be an extension of the defensive coordinator, do my job, everything I’m supposed to do, then I’m the guy,” Shilo Sanders said.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football