No Bucs rookie has garnered as much buzz since joining the team as safety Shilo Sanders.

That is what comes with being Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders’ son.

The young Sanders went undrafted, but that has not stopped him from generating headlines as he vies for a spot in Tampa Bay’s secondary. Last week’s rookie mini-camp was the first chance to hear from him and see him in action, and he is prepared to work and grow from the opportunity that has presented itself.

Shilo Sanders: “The Bucs Were The First Team To Call” After 2025 NFL Draft

For Shilo Sanders and his brother Shedeur, the 2025 NFL Draft did not go as expected. Shedeur, originally projected to go in the first round, fell all the way to the fifth round before the Browns drafted him to add him into the quarterback mix. There was some hope that Shilo would find a home on Day 3, but he would ultimately wind up undrafted.

He did not have an NFL home until the Bucs hit his line.

Bucs S Shilo Sanders – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I don’t know if y’all know but the Bucs were the first team to call,” Sanders said. “They gave me a chance before anyone so I’m forever grateful to the Buccaneers and I’m just going to do everything I can to help this team win. Everything in my power to help this team win. That’s all I want.”

It was actually Drew Rosenhaus, Sanders’ agent, that reached out to the Bucs that allowed this union to happen. While Sanders had other suitors that showed interest, he further detailed how coming to Tampa Bay came to fruition.

“Right after the draft ended, I was on the stream because I streamed the whole draft,” Sanders added. “I was like, ‘Alright y’all, I got to go and talk to Coach Prime, I got to go get on a team real quick. I’ll be right back.’ So I left, as soon as I walked down the stairs my agent called and said, ‘The Bucs offering you a contract.’ I think I did the dougie for about 15 minutes [laughs]. I’m just so grateful for the opportunity of them giving me this chance when nobody else would at that time.”

Shilo Sanders’ High Character And Work Ethic Already On Display

When rookies come out for the first in-person press conference, they might be nervous or look shocked to see a wave of reporters waiting for them with cameras and microphones.

Shilo Sanders is used to that, though.

When Sanders was greeted to that setting, he exclaimed, “My new media team here!” He then went on to shake every reporter’s hand before starting his interview.

It was a thoughtful gesture that does not happen often, and it came after already having his first practice in new threads the day before.

Sanders is already connecting with Bucs’ players and coaches and wanted to start that process as soon as possible to be prepared.

Bucs S Shilo Sanders – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

“I tried to get down here early so I could connect with some guys on the team already,” Sanders said. “Antoine [Winfield Jr.] has helped me a lot by [getting me in contact with] certain coaches that I needed to talk to learn extra. I was just happy for this opportunity, just grateful. I just want to prepare myself the best I can for this rookie camp. [Friday] was a good day.”

This past Friday was also the first chance for head coach Todd Bowles to see the young safety out on the field. Bowles appreciated Sanders for being vocal and getting things down quickly. That’s the kind of first impression you want to leave on the defensive playcaller.

“Like the rest of the safeties, he’s very intelligent, he’s very loud,” Bowles said. “You can hear him today, making calls and everything, so he has a good grasp of things Day 1. There was about three or four of them that did. He was one of them, but you have to make plays in pads. That’s what it comes down to – knowing what to do and then doing it consistently and constantly getting better every day.”

Sanders gave a warning for his volume.

“I get really loud,” Sanders said. “That’s the number one thing you have to do as a safety is just be able to communicate and be an extension of the defensive coordinator on the field.”

Shilo Sanders Wants To Show He Has “It”

There are no guarantees when it comes to undrafted free agents.

The Bucs signed 15 of them and have started to add others into the mix after rookie mini-camp commenced. Among them, several will get released, with the others competing for spots on the 53-man roster and the practice squad.

When it comes to Shilo Sanders, he will be looking to show he can bring ball production to a secondary that needs an infusion of it this season.

“It’s just an ‘it’ thing,” Sanders said about the production he had during his college career. “Either you got ‘it’ or you don’t. Throughout my whole career, I’ve always been a guy who gets the ball out any way, shape, or form. Forced fumbles, picks, it is what it is. I’m going to get the ball. That’s the whole part of playing defense, we want to give the offense the ball.”

Over the past two seasons at Colorado being coached by his dad and playing with his young brother, Sanders flashed that ability on defense. He forced four forced fumbles with an 80-yard pick-six in 2023 and then had forced another fumble last season. Although that production did not lead to being drafted, the experiences he has led have gotten him here.

Now he is only focused on the present and the chance to solidify himself on the Bucs.

“My take on being disappointed in lows is, it’s not really low because you can’t change the past. You can’t really do anything about something that’s already happened. I just trust God and I always end up doing something great. I know it’s going to happen and whatever’s happening currently is to learn or to grow from.”