Shedeur Sanders proved some doubters wrong at Colorado's NFL showcase last week, and that momentum carried over into his first week of NFL team visits.
Sanders is fresh off visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday, and when he went on Kay Adams' podcast "Up & Adams" live from the Pittsburgh airport, he had only good things to say about the Steelers.
"I enjoyed my time in Pittsburgh," Sanders said. "I connected well with all the coaches, and it was real fun."
The Colorado quarterback came away impressed with the Steelers' organization. With them holding the No. 21 overall pick, Pittsburgh's chance to draft Sanders would mean him falling quite far down the first round. There have been rumors that the Steelers could trade up if Sanders dropped out of the top 10.
Shedeur compares Mike Tomlin to Deion Sanders
Since Mike Tomlin took over as the Steelers' head coach before the 2007 season, winning has been the standard. Tomlin holds the record for the most consecutive non-losing seasons to begin a coaching career. The Steelers have made the playoffs in 12 of Tomlin's 18 seasons.
The winning culture rubbed off on Sanders during the visit.
"I understand the mindset and why they [Pittsburgh] win a lot," Sanders said. "Just how he [Tomlin] is as a person, the values that the team has, and what he preaches are similar to my dad."
It's quite the comparison from Shedeur, but all football fans can agree that the similarities exist. Tomlin might not have the same persona and swagger that Deion Sanders brings to coaching, but both coaches hold their players and staff to similar standards.
What grade would Shedeur give his visit?
As Adams points out, these NFL team visits are job interviews for NFL draft prospects, and although a positive grade from Sanders doesn't guarantee anything, it does hint at which team he feels fit him best.
"It was a ten, it was definitely a ten," Sanders said.
By all accounts, the visit was a major success, and Sanders felt right at home with the trademarked culture that the Steelers always seem to have. It would be a sign if Sanders gets selected with the No. 21 overall pick, considering the number's strong ties to the Sanders family.
