BOULDER, Colo. — The Pac-12 is among the most quarterback-rich conferences in all of college football, with four legit Heisman Trophy candidates in USC's Caleb Williams, Washington's Michael Penix Jr., Oregon's Bo Nix, and Utah's Cam Rising.
However, one of the most intriguing quarterbacks in the conference of champions resides at Colorado in Shedeur Sanders, son of new head coach and Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.
Don't get it twisted though, nepotism is not the reason Sanders is expected to take the first snap of the Prime era in Boulder - it's because Shedeur has more than proven he is capable of playing at this level according to Locked on Buffs host Kevin Borba.
Sanders picked up Power-5 offers out of high school, and he threw for 70 touchdowns and just 14 interceptions in his two seasons at Jackson State.
He posted an outstanding 23-3 record as a starter and set school records for touchdowns (40) and completions (344) in a single season, and while no one will argue the competition level is the same in the SWAC as it is in the Pac-12, the adjustment period may not be as difficult as some are expecting.
Is Sanders going to challenge Rising, Nix, Penix and WIlliams at the top of the Pac-12 quarterback hierarchy? Probably not, but on a completely rebuilt roster his growth during the season will be one of the most fun and exciting developments in Pac-12 football for the 2023 season.