DENTON, Texas — The banter between Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward received going early.
Warming up earlier than their exercise at Southern Methodist College earlier this month, they debated who had the sooner 40-yard sprint time. Then Sanders joked in regards to the high quality of footballs that Ward threw at Miami.
Earlier than lengthy, they had been discussing which was the true “generational” prospect.
“Let one other phrase describe you, bro,” Sanders mentioned in an interplay captured by Properly Off Media, which is run by Deion Sanders Jr., Shedeur’s oldest brother.
“Nah,” Ward quipped again, “[That’s] the phrase that describes me.”
Sanders surrendered … kind of.
“You generational,” Sanders admitted. “I’m legendary.”
However Ward wasn’t finished.
“That’s cool,” he mentioned. “You will be legendary. Legendary get they ass whooped. … Generational is as soon as each 100 years.”
All this backwards and forwards — and the 2 hadn’t even begun throwing.
“It’s real,” Choose QB Athletics founder Darrell Colbert Jr., who trains each quarterbacks, instructed FOX Sports activities in regards to the relationship between Sanders and Ward. “It’s not simply because the cameras are out. It’s a relaxed surroundings, nevertheless it’s a aggressive surroundings.”
The banter presents a peek into the shut relationship they share — a singular one, as they’re the consensus high two quarterback prospects within the 2025 NFL Draft. It’s potential that they’ll be the primary two gamers chosen.
After two years at Jackson State, Sanders performed his final two faculty seasons at Colorado, the place he ranked first within the FBS in completion price in 2024 (74.0%). He’s lauded for his pinpoint accuracy and timing. Ward, in the meantime, led the nation in landing passes at Miami (39), the place he spent his redshirt senior season after two years apiece at Washington State and the University of the Incarnate Word. He’s identified for his prowess taking part in off-schedule and with off-platform throws.
Their taking part in kinds are as totally different as their personalities.
“[Ward is] extra of a quiet man, however round his pals, round his household, you possibly can see that playful facet of him,” Colbert defined. “I believe he does that on function as a result of he desires all people to see that when he’s not round household or pals, he’s all about enterprise. [He has] a killer mentality on the sphere.
“And Shedeur is Shedeur, the prime persona of who he’s and who his dad was. He’s his dad’s son.”
Colbert has labored with each for almost 4 years — Sanders in a proper capability since 2019, when he was nonetheless in highschool, whereas Ward entered the image after his freshman season at Incarnate Phrase in 2021. Sanders and Ward hadn’t met till they began coaching collectively.
“Fully totally different … nevertheless it jells properly collectively as a result of these guys need the identical factor,” Colbert mentioned. “They wish to be the No. 1 draft decide. They work arduous. They wish to get higher, and so they wish to see one another get higher as properly.”
Their joint work with Colbert has come at varied occasions through the years — from spring break journeys, to preparations for fall camp, summer time and instantly after the season. Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones, Ward’s cousin, has usually been their third coaching associate.
Sanders and Ward’s consideration to element in drills, and their embrace of educating factors, is partially to verify the opposite doesn’t have ammunition of their trash discuss.
It’s by no means quiet after they’re on the sphere collectively, in accordance with Colbert.
“If I say [to Ward], ‘Hit [the receiver] within the chest’ and he hits the left facet of his pec and Shedeur hits him within the chest, he’s going to let him hear about it,” Colbert mentioned. “Different approach round — Cam goes to let [Shedeur] find out about it. You’re going to listen to one thing each single time. … It’s all the time the identical circulate each time.”
Shedeur Sanders’ 2024 Colorado season highlights
Their relationship is about extra than simply poking enjoyable at one another, although.
All through their faculty careers, they’d ask one another about how their respective groups attacked man protection. They mentioned what labored finest in deploying sure passing ideas. Their groups took components from one another’s playbook. They traded notes on dos and don’ts in opposition to widespread opponents, too.
“Lots of people within the media attempt to all the time pit us in opposition to one another,” Sanders mentioned Saturday on the East-West Shrine Bowl. “We’re household and we’re pals on the finish of the day earlier than all these things occurred to us.”
What’s Cam Ward’s NFL ceiling?
Colbert sees how a lot the quarterback panorama has modified in recent times within the faculty ranks. He seems on the path Sanders and Ward have taken — reaching the best ranges of success by a number of faculties — all whereas staying true to their genuine selves as a blueprint for these coming behind them.
“I believe that’s the most effective you may get out of anyone, particularly while you’re asking guys to come back in and be your franchise quarterback, since you achieve this a lot analysis to determine who they’re,” Colbert mentioned. “And that’s what made folks drawn to them within the first place. So why … change who I’m? … They stroll their very own stroll.”
After the exercise at SMU, the banter didn’t cease between Sanders and Ward.
“You sporting No. 2,” Ward began, “that simply will get in your thoughts that you just all the time wish to be No. 2.
“They gave me No. 1,” he exclaimed of his jersey quantity at Miami and Washington State. “I ain’t ask for it. That’s the loopy factor.”
Sanders shot again.
“So issues get handed to you?”
Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand labored for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Community, the place he was the Titans beat author for a 12 months and a half. He coated the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for 3 seasons (2018-20) previous to shifting to Tennessee. You possibly can observe Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.
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