Shedeur Sanders going undrafted through the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft has been the story of the weekend.
It’s likely that a team will finally select the quarterback at some point during Rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday’s final day of the draft. But if Sanders were somehow to go unselected or he didn’t like how low he was picked, is it possible that he could return to Colorado and attempt to improve his stock for NFL teams?
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Sanders had one season of college football eligibility remaining when he declared for the NFL Draft. However, the NCAA does not allow players to return to competition once they do so. Under the institution’s rules, when an athlete declares for the draft, he automatically forgoes that remaining eligibility.
NCAA director of enforcement Chris Howard explained the rule in a Nov. 21. 2023 letter:
“If you are three years removed from your high school graduation date, you may enter the NFL Draft one time during your collegiate career without jeopardizing your eligibility; provided you are not drafted by any team and you declare your intention to resume intercollegiate participation within 72 hours following the NFL’s draft declaration date.
“[…] Student-athletes who enter the NFL Draft early are required to sign and have notarized a petition for special eligibility with the NFL, which renounces all remaining collegiate eligibility unless revoked within 72 hours of the draft declaration date.”
So yes, Sanders could return to Colorado if he had decided to do so within three days of declaring for the NFL Draft. However, he and teammate Travis Hunter (who was selected No. 2 overall) declared for the draft in January. The deadline for revoking that declaration and maintaining college eligibility has long passed.
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Technically, the NFL would allow a player to return to college if he hasn’t hired an agent or accepted benefits such as accepting an invitation to the NFL combine. Presumably, this would be like the NBA, which allows draft prospects to withdraw and return to college by a certain deadline (this year, the date is May 28). But again, NCAA rules prohibit football players from retaining eligibility once they declare for the NFL Draft.
However, as Joel Klatt pointed out, Sanders has not hired an agent, which presumably addresses one of the NCAA rules.
There is some sentiment that Sanders should challenge the NCAA rules and attempt to play one more year of college football. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio is one advocate.
“We’ve learned one very important thing about college football in recent years. Most, if not all, NCAA rules violate federal antitrust laws,” Florio wrote. “And with players now making millions in NIL money, why shouldn’t a player with remaining eligibility be allowed to return? No one has tested it.”
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Florio adds that if Sanders’ effort was denied, he could just sign a rookie contract with the team that drafted him or as a free agent if he’s not selected.
This is likely a moot point. Colorado retired Sanders’ No. 2 jersey (and Hunter’s No. 12) after the Buffaloes’ spring game last week. Head coach Deion Sanders and the program have effectively closed the book on the quarterback’s career in Boulder. However, that doesn’t mean that Shedeur Sanders couldn’t bring that number out of retirement if he chose to do so.
