Shilo Sanders
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Shilo Sanders has some big goals for his rookie campaign with the Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made some big moves this offseason, but one of their more under-the-radar moves saw them sign former Colorado Buffaloes safety Shilo Sanders as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL Draft. While there isn’t much that the Sanders family does that goes under the radar, Shilo entered the pros with very few expectations given his undrafted billing.
Despite that, Sanders has full confidence in himself as he enters the NFL with the Buccaneers. In fact, he recently set some lofty goals for himself when it comes to his rookie campaign that will certainly catch the attention of fans, especially since he isn’t exactly a guarantee to make the team’s 53-man roster out of training camp.
Shilo Sanders Reveals Goals for 2025 Campaign
Sanders spent his final two seasons in college playing for his dad, Deion Sanders, in Colorado. After a quiet start to his collegiate football career, Shilo turned himself into a key piece of the Buffaloes’ secondary, and while he wasn’t considered a future superstar, he quietly put himself on the radar of NFL teams.
In 2024, Sanders racked up 44 tackles, one sack, two pass deflections, one fumble forced, and one touchdown on defense. There are certainly holes in his game, but Sanders can hold his own against the run and the pass, and he has the propensity to make a big play when his team needs him the most, which is always a trait NFL teams are looking for.
The Buccaneers’ safety depth chart is crowded, but Shilo isn’t all that concerned with the long odds he faces to make the team. When asked about his goals for the upcoming season, Sanders revealed that he is looking to earn All-Pro honors, not for his work on defense, but for his work on Tampa Bay’s special teams units.
“I want to be All-Pro special teams,” Sanders said in an interview with Mike Jones of The Athletic. “Show the coaches I could play, and that I play hard and be physical and earn their trust, make it on the field (defensively) one day.”
Will Shilo Sanders Make the Buccaneers’ 53-Man Roster?
Shilo Sanders
GettyShilo Sanders has impressed in Buccaneers practices.
Cracking the Buccaneers’ initial 53-man roster is going to be tough for Sanders. He knows he’s not going to earn starting snaps on defense right away, so he’s looking to earn a roster spot for himself with his work on special teams. If he can do that, Sanders believes he can eventually find a role for himself on defense, which is a path to success that other undrafted free agents have employed in the past.
Sanders has done well early in training camp, but he still faces an uphill battle when it comes to earning a roster spot. The most likely result for Sanders would see him land on Tampa Bay’s practice squad, which could allow him to get bumped up to the gameday roster at some point in the year. It may not be the path he was initially planning for, but if Sanders ends up on the gameday roster, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him make an impact on special teams.