In the five years since the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era reshaped college football, discussions about academic performance and graduation rates have become rare. Yet, Shedeur Sanders’ recent milestone serves as a reminder that education remains a priority for some student-athletes.
On Saturday, Sanders, now a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, returned to the University of Colorado to walk across the stage and receive his degree in sociology.
The former Buffaloes standout left Colorado a year ago to enter the NFL Draft. Now in his second professional season, Sanders is vying for the starting quarterback position with Deshaun Watson. As a rookie, Sanders started seven games for the Browns, winning three of them. Meanwhile, the team finished the season with a 2-8 record in games he did not start.