Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been one of college football’s best quarterbacks this season despite a lackluster team surrounding him. All the hits Sanders has endured behind Colorado’s offensive line took their toll and led to him getting knocked out early in Colorado’s game against Washington State last Friday.
With Sanders’ injury Friday, will he be ready to play in Colorado’s season finale against Utah this week?
Shedeur Sanders Injury Update
Sanders lost his ability to grip the football before suffering the ankle injury that finished his night, according to head coach Deion Sanders.
“He had some numbness in his hand and couldn’t really grip the ball,” Deion Sanders said after the game. “But then that second hit he just got [his ankle] rolled up on. We decided not to send him back out.”
Sanders had briefly left the game in the first quarter and was replaced by backup quarterback Ryan Staub on the next series. Sanders returned to the game and completed six passes for 86 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown to Travis Hunter, before suffering the injury that would ultimately knock him out in the second quarter.
Sanders set the Colorado single-season passing record in that game before suffering that injury.
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Colorado’s inability to protect Sanders has been a problem all year. Sanders has taken the most sacks of any quarterback in the country by a pretty sizeable margin. Deion Sanders was even asked after the game if he considered shutting Shedeur Sanders down for the rest of the season due to Colorado’s elimination from bowl eligibility and his injuries, according to the Clarion Ledger.
“Shedeur is not that kind of player that wants to shut down,” said Sanders. “He wants to finish with his teammates. I’m pretty sure. I haven’t talked to him about it, but I’m pretty sure he wants to.”
Given the comments from Deion Sanders, it seems unlikely that Sanders will be shut down in Colorado’s final game of the season against the 23rd-ranked Utah Utes unless he is forced to by another injury.
As one of the top quarterbacks in the country, Sanders will have a decision about his NFL Draft future soon. While it doesn’t appear like Sanders will declare for the 2024 NFL Draft, it might be in his best interest to do so to avoid taking more hits like this season.
