How soon can the Broncos get Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter?

Fans of both the Denver Broncos and Colorado Buffaloes can't help but wonder after Saturday afternoon -- how soon can the Broncos pick up CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders and phenom athlete Travis Hunter in the NFL Draft?

The answer is simple, but it's worth diving a little deeper into.

The short and sweet answer is that the Broncos -- or any NFL team, for that matter -- can likely go after quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the 2024 NFL Draft if he declares himself eligible. Sanders is playing his third college football season overall, two at Jackson State, and now his first year at Colorado.

Buffs fans aren't going to be eager to see Sanders leave the program, but after two excellent years playing for Jackson State, he undoubtedly proved himself worthy of NFL consideration with a dominating, record-setting performance against 7th-ranked TCU in the Colorado season opener.

For Travis Hunter, the NFL will have to wait one more season. He is not officially eligible to turn pro until 2025, and although that may be frustrating for NFL fans, it might be the best possible news for Hunter, who will either have to prove he can be a legitimate two-way star at the next level by consistently playing as many snaps as he does, or lock into just one position.

So, Sanders is available as early as 2024, where the Denver Broncos obviously have a first-round pick once again. Everyone is hopeful the team will see a resurgence from Russell Wilson and not really need a first-round quarterback, but if the Broncos are presented with a chance to take Sanders in 2024, would they really pass on it? He is an outstanding talent.

Travis Hunter isn't available until 2025, but for the next two years, we can all plan on him being one of the most popular players in all of college football. Hunter was the top-ranked recruit in the class of 2022. He chose to play for Deion Sanders at Jackson State in what was a rather unprecedented move, especially in this era.

He could have played at Florida State, Alabama, Auburn, Clemson -- literally anywhere he would have wanted to go. And he shocked the country by choosing to play for Deion Sanders at Jackson State. And then he followed him to Colorado, where he's now getting a ton more national attention after playing more than 100 snaps as both a wide receiver and cornerback.

The kid is truly remarkable.

The only receivers on the Denver Broncos roster currently slated to be under contract in 2025 are Courtland Sutton (the last year of his current deal) and rookie Marvin Mims Jr.

It's going to be fun to watch Sanders and Hunter play in huge games together at Colorado, and their upset win over TCU on the road after being three-touchdown underdogs is only the beginning. "Coach Prime" had those guys ready to play and shifted the culture in Colorado, where they won just one game last season, rather quickly.

Perhaps Sean Payton and the Broncos can do the same in 2023.