Coach Prime: Top Colorado football stars 'going to be an Eli' in 2025 NFL draft

Coach Prime is advising top Colorado football stars like Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, and Shilo Sanders to strong-arm their way to their preferred teams -- calling the maneuver "pulling an Eli" in reference to Eli Manning refusing to play for the San Diego Chargers in 2004 and forcing a trade to the NY Giants on draft night.

Deion Sanders went on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast to declare as much.

"All this is subjective because I know where I kind of want them to go," Sanders said (58:55 mark) (h/t Bleacher Report). "And let's not forget Shilo (Sanders). But I know where I want them to go. There's certain cities where it ain't going to happen. ...It's going to be an Eli [Manning]."

Coach Prime had begun advocating for Colorado football QB Shedeur Sanders to avoid cold cities

This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, truthfully. Coach Prime had already begun advocating for his son Shedeur to end up in a warm-weather city.

“Like, I don’t want my kid [Shedeur] going nowhere cold next year," Coach Prime said of Shedeur (h/t Denver Sports). "He grew up in Texas. He played in Jackson, played in Colorado. Season’s over before it gets cold in Colorado. I’m just thinking way ahead. I don’t want that for him.”

This rhetoric has given teams like the Dallas Cowboys hope that Shedeur can end up forcing his way to a team in his home-state of Texas, while other franchises -- even the in-market Denver Broncos, who play less than 30 miles from CU's campus -- may be out of luck even if they take part in any "Tank for Shedeur" masterplans.

Manning overcame the stigma of making a trade demand, winning two Super Bowls and becoming a Giants legend in the process. While Shedeur, Hunter, and Shilo may face scrutiny out of the gates, it'll be forgotten if their teams end up winning with their help.