Woah! That’s what you call a good comeback! Months after $4.7 million Shedeur Sanders fell prey to ex-Buffs’ backup QB Gavin Kuld’s caustic jab for his NIL valuation, Deion Sanders’ son called a time-out on hypocrisy. Shedeur, teamed up with brother, Shilo, faced the media at the Big 12 Media Days.

Both the brothers took an aim at the naysayers overruling their assumption that the players get paid by sitting idle. Even though the QB comes with an explanation, his NIL chart has followed its own route away from the chaos and reached the pinnacle. 

Shedeur’s take on public perception of NIL

The Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas caught the Sanders brothers behind the mics. The cause? Fielding questions from the media. Whenever Shilo and Shedeur are under the same roof, the discussion has to go the NIL way! This was no exception. The Buffs safety pointed out how the reaction of the public to NIL has changed all of a sudden. “The thing about it is like all right everybody fight so hard to get nil now we have it now everybody want to hate on it right,” complained Shilo. Shedeur immediately poured in to support Shilo. 

Pointing out the hypocritic scenario, the QB quipped, “You can’t fight you can’t. You can’t ask to get paid and then when people get paid and you hate on each other. That don’t that just don’t that just don’t make sense”. After Guld’s attack on Shedeur, the QB had been stripped off on social media for being a ‘nepo-baby’. Even though it affected his draft stocks for the 2025 NFL season, his NIL charts charted their own course and came up with shocking results. 

Shedeur’s rise to the NIL summit 

As high sack percentage came as dark clouds casting a shadow in Shedeur’s career, the hype surrounding the QB is still on. On June 6, On3 dropped a bomb that catapulted Deion’s son’s status in the college football platform. Holding a valuation of $4.6 million, he is the No. 1 valued NIL player in existence. This did not just land Shedeur in the top position as another big win was tangled with this achievement.

With his improved rankings, he has replaced another big shot. Guess who? The basketball phenom, Bronny James. Initially, the USC alum was college athletics’ highest earner during his brief spell in Pasadena. Basketball giant LeBron ‘King’ James’ son ranked an estimated $5.9 million. But his good times were short-lived. Bronny’s first season was impeded by his cardiac arrest, which led his valuation to take a sharp dip and hit a low of $3.7 million. 

Finally, the moment dawned that Shedeur had been counting stars. This was a slap of reality to the cynics. Since the Buffs QB has taken up Bronny’s place, now the question looms whether, like Bronny, Shedeur too will land in the second round in the 2025 NFL Draft.