Nick Saban. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Nick Saban has big compliment for Shedeur Sanders

By Steve DelVecchio | Last updated Apr 24, 2025 6:02 PM ET

Shedeur Sanders may have faced a great deal of criticism leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, but arguably the greatest college football coach of all time is a fan of the former Colorado star.

Nick Saban shared some of his thoughts on Sanders during a special edition of ESPN's "College GameDay" leading up to the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday night. While many analysts have questioned whether Sanders has the tools to succeed at the professional level, Saban had high praise for the quarterback.

Saban said he believes Sanders is the most accurate quarterback prospect in the nation when given time to throw.

"I’m a Shedeur fan, because I think he played in a little different style in college because of the players around him — he had to scramble more. But when he can drop, set his feet and throw on time, he’s the most accurate guy from the quarterback position as anyone," Saban said.

Nick Saban on College Gameday: “I’m a Shedeur fan, because I think he played in a little different style in college because of the players around him — he had to scramble more. But when he can drop, set his feet and throw on time, he’s the most accurate guy from the quarterback…
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) April 24, 2025

One of the biggest knocks against Sanders is that he drops back too far and does a poor job of avoiding sacks. Colorado's offensive line was part of the problem, but Sanders often put himself and his teammates in bad positions during his tenure with the Buffaloes.

Saban seems to think Sanders could become a great NFL quarterback if his next team can fix some of those issues.

Sanders threw for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season. He was at one point viewed as the best quarterback in the country and a Heisman Trophy candidate.

Although Sanders has been surpassed by former Miami quarterback Cam Ward in the eyes of almost all talent evaluators, it is a positive sign that Saban sees that much potential in him.

Steve DelVecchio

Steve is a veteran writer who has covered a variety of sports and pop culture topics for more than 15 years. In addition to Yardbarker, his work has been featured on prominent digital publications including Larry Brown Sports, MSN and FOX Sports. The UConn graduate has published more than 40,000 stories and is one of the most experienced trending news writers in the country

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