Shilo and Sheppard are headed to Tampa!
The Jacksonville Jaguars won’t be the only hotbed of former Buffs in the NFL ahead of the 2025 season, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers swooped in to sign two more Buffaloes as undrafted free agents following the draft on Saturday.
The first Buff to sign with the Bucs was starting free safety Shilo Sanders, happening nearly immediately after the conclusion of the draft. Sanders, son of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and brother of former CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders, had a time in Boulder filled with highs and lows.
Sanders kicked off his time as a Buffalo with a solid season in 2023, finishing the season with 69 total tackles and an 80-yard pick-six against Colorado State. In 2024, his production took a hit. Sanders suffered a shoulder injury that hindered his ability to participate in full-contact practice ahead of the season and broke his forearm while making a tackle during CU’s week two game in Nebraska. Shilo had trouble wrapping up and being a consistent tackler from that point on.
Sanders is known for his physical style of play. His priority isn’t just to bring down the ball carrier, he wants to lay the boom in the biggest way possible and make sure they feel it. This strategy has led to Sanders racking up significant penalty yardage in his time in Boulder, but that’s the high-risk, high-reward style of play the former CU safety lives by.
The other Buffalo to sign with the Bucs is wide receiver Will Sheppard. Sheppard came to Boulder before the 2024 season from Vanderbilt and made an immediate impact in Boulder, becoming the Buffs’ premier 50/50 ball threat along the seam. Sheppard finished his sole season in Boulder with 40 receptions for 540 yards and six touchdowns.
Where Sheppard really shines is in the intangibles department. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound wideout is a freak athlete with a large frame who’s fast and has insane hops. Sheppard showed out at his pro day in Boulder in April and attracted the eye of many NFL scouts, but ultimately wasn’t drafted.
Sanders and Sheppard land in a place where they’ll have to fight to make the 53-man roster, but both have the talent to pull it off.
Good luck in Tampa, guys! Make CU proud!