Can Shilo Sanders make the Buccaneers’ 53-man roster? Exploring outlook for Coach Prime’s son in NFL

Colorado safety Shilo Sanders went undrafted this year but landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the same day that the draft ended. Tampa Bay made six selections during the 2025 draft — their sixth-round pick was previously traded to the Detroit Lions — and their focus on the secondary was clear, with two cornerbacks selected in the first three rounds.

Sanders, who did not receive an invitation to the 2025 NFL combine, was always likely to go undrafted. However, he still has a shot to make the 53-man roster based on the Buccaneers' depth at safety: Tampa Bay is set with its starters, but their backup spots are seemingly up for grabs.

Antoine Winfield Jr. and Christian Izien are set to be the starters in 2025. Winfield is one of the league's highest-paid defensive backs, while Izien rose to prominence in 2023 after being undrafted. With Tykee Smith acting as the slot cornerback, Deion Sanders' son is set to battle with Marcus Banks and Kaevon Merriweather for a backup safety spot on the roster.

Banks and Merriweather were both undrafted. Sanders has a real shot if he impresses his coaches during preseason. He could also miss the 53-man roster in August and land with the Buccaneers' practice squad.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus asked Jason Licht to sign Shilo Sanders as a free agent

The signing happened because Rosenhaus, who became Shilo's agent during the draft process, called the Buccaneers' general manager to sign the safety. Licht later declared that the safety was in his mind and of head coach Todd Bowles "for a long time."

Todd Bowles later praised the safety during a radio appearance after the draft:

“He’s a heck of a tackler, and he knows the game very well; he can see the game very well. So, giving him a chance to play, we think he has a shot to help us from a safety standpoint and from a special-teams standpoint. So I’m excited to get him in here and see how he moves."

Shilo's brother, Shedeur Sanders, suffered a heavy fall during the 2025 draft. A projected late-first-round pick, Shedeur fell into the fifth round before his selection by the Cleveland Browns.