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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed safety Shilo Sanders as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft, and he made an immediate impact in his debut, delivering a clean quarterback hit in Saturday night’s preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.
On his first defensive series of the second half, Sanders blitzed untouched from the secondary, driving quarterback Brandon Allen to the turf just after he released the ball. The hit was Buccaneers' first quarterback contact of the game.
#Bucs rookie safety Shilo Sanders makes his presence felt.pic.twitter.com/nKg46S6lix
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 10, 2025
The performance came just one day after Sanders’ younger brother, Shedeur Sanders, impressed as the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback in their preseason opener. Shedeur completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards, threw two touchdowns, and led three scoring drives in a 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers without committing a turnover.
Shilo Sanders, signed by Tampa Bay as an undrafted free agent in 2025, is competing for a roster spot in a crowded safety group that includes 2023 All-Pro Antoine Winfield Jr., starter Tykee Smith, and backups Christian Izien and Kaevon Merriweather, along with JJ Roberts and Rashad Wisdom.
Sanders brings a diverse college resume, having played for South Carolina, Jackson State, and Colorado. Over his collegiate career, he appeared in 52 games (33 starts) and tallied 217 total tackles, 13 pass deflections, six interceptions, six forced fumbles, and one sack.
His breakthrough season came in 2021 at Jackson State, when he recorded 39 tackles, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles, earning second-team All-SWAC honors. At Colorado in 2023, Sanders logged 70 tackles and an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown.
A former Trinity Christian High School standout, Sanders played under the guidance of his father, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, and alongside his brother Shedeur at Jackson State and Colorado.
