It was a hugely important day for Shedeur Sanders on Friday. Over the years, Pro Days have turned into a make-or-break event for quarterback prospects. It’s not necessarily a good predictor of NFL success, but coaches and executives want to see potential high picks crush their workout and put their talent on display against air.
Sanders did just that. He threw all passes with accuracy and great placement, so it was overall a success. It’s tough to nitpick such an orchestrated workout, but there was something Sanders did that actually could backfire once he enters the NFL. It was noticed by a defensive back currently playing in the league.
Shedeur Sanders impresses with his arm strength at training camp
Andre Cisco calls out Shedeur Sanders’ excessive “patting” of the ball
Andre Cisco, a safety who signed with the New York Jets this offseason after four seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, pointed out that Sanders pats the ball right before throwing it. For a defensive back, it’s a trigger for them to break on the ball.
This wouldn’t be too much of an issue if it was a casual fan pointing it out, but an actual NFL defensive back doing so brings some caution. It’s also not the first time the “patting” has been discussed. Many noted the same thing when videos surfaced of Sanders and Cam Ward doing throwing drills together.
In those drills, Sanders had the accuracy edge over Ward, while the Miami Hurricanes QB has a stronger arm and quicker release. The quick release looked even quicker compared to Sanders, since he takes an extra second to tap the ball with his left hand before letting it rip. The coaching staff of whatever team Sanders ends up on will likely try to get it corrected.
