Shedeur Sanders was a talking point in NFL circles long before he set foot on an NFL field. Being the son of one of the greatest, most beloved and respected figures in football history comes with that type of attention.
It also has multiple perks. Sanders grew up surrounded by NFL royalty, and he got to know and work out with some of the best in the game. Even Tom Brady himself was a close figure for the Colorado product.
That's why it's not much of a surprise to hear that he's stayed in touch with former stars and picks their brains to be a better player. As he revealed in his recent appearance on Kay Adams' Up & Adams show, he's been in close touch with NFL legend Michael Vick.
"Mike Vick, I talk to him often, and I talked to him a lot during this year, just about everything. He's always been a great resource for me, in a great way, just to have somebody to talk to. If I know your experience in this area, then I want to call and get advice. How do I handle certain things? Where does my mind need to go to?" Sanders said.
Shedeur Sanders opens up about NFL advice from Michael Vick
Vick is, of course, a controversial figure for reasons we're not going to get into. Then again, he's universally regarded as one of the most talented and athletic quarterbacks of all time, and a pioneer for dual-threat signal callers.
As someone who was there and did that, he's clearly more than qualified to give Sanders some pointers and teach him the ropes of the NFL quarterback life, both on and off the field. That said, Sanders isn't anything like Vick as a quarterback, so he might not be the most appropriate mentor.
Vick was a freak of nature. His ability to roll out of the pocket, scramble, and extend plays with his legs was ahead of his time. Sanders is more of a traditional pocket passer; he's not that fast, agile, or athletic. He's accurate and has a nice touch with his arm, but he's not going to leave defenders in the dust with his scrambling.
Sanders ran the ball 21 times for 169 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 8 yards per carry and 21.1 rushing yards per game. That's a far cry from the 64.9 rushing yards per game Vick averaged in his prime, even at a time when quarterbacks didn't use their legs as much.
Shedeur knows he has a long way to go and plenty of work to do to fix his flaws. His work ethic and determination are two of his best traits.
That said, he should probably look to different type of quarterback to emulate his game. He's not a Vick-type quarterback, and that's perfectly fine.