Deion Sanders family tree: Meet sons Shedeur, Shilo Sanders playing for dad at Colorado

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There's a burgeoning movement taking shape in Boulder.

Colorado football is bustling with life. The architect of all their joy? None other than Pro Football Hall of Famer and head coach Deion Sanders.

Coach Prime's arrival has brought with it a glut of talented recruits and transfers, each hoping to catch a glimpse of the shimmer that comes with sporting affiliation with such a marquee name.

Travis Hunter is one of the pre-eminent figures of the reboot, having taken his talents from Jackson, Mississippi, to the Centennial State in one fell swoop. But he's far from the only one. In fact, two of those highly touted returning talents are permanently tethered to Colorado's newest corporal.

With that, here's what you need to know about the Sanders football family tree.

MORE: Travis Hunter shines as Colorado survives scare from NDSU

Deion Sanders family tree

Deion Sanders has five children, and two of them are on the field with him at Colorado. 

Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders and safety Shilo Sanders have embraced the family business, achieving success and notice on and off the gridiron.

Son: Shilo Sanders, Safety

Shilo is the eldest, having first made the grade at South Carolina. He rarely featured for the Gamecocks, making just 32 tackles across his two years in Columbia.

Neon Deion's arrival at Jackson State represented a changing of the guard for Shilo, who joined him with the Tigers. And competing against the SWAC's best, Shilo was a menace. He earned second-team all-conference honors, playing a pivotal role as JSU rolled to an 11-2 record in 2021.

An ACL tear limited his effectiveness in 2022. He returned in October and showed signs of liveliness, but wasn't quite able to hit the heights of his 2021 campaign. Still, it was enough to draw interest when he went into the transfer portal. And when the Buffs came knocking, Shilo was hooked.

Shilo had a solid first season at Colorado in 2023, tallying 70 total tackles and one interception, which he returned to the house for a pick-six. He also had four forced fumbles across 11 games.

MORE: Coach Prime eager to show his way will work in Year 2 at Colorado

Son: Shedeur Sanders, Quarterback

Younger brother Shedeur's path to Boulder was far less hectic by comparison. A gifted hurler with an arm cut from marble, Shedeur earned four-star billing as a recruit, according to ESPN. He attracted loads of blue-chip programs with his dizzying mix of arm talent and agility in the pocket. Shedeur was offered scholarships by Alabama, Georgia and LSU, among other schools.

But Deion was at the helm of the Tigers. And that was enough for Shedeur to migrate down south as well, slotting into the eldest Sanders' system as his do-it-all quarterback.

Sanders' faith came good time and time again as Shedeur shined under center at JSU. He threw for 70 touchdowns across his two years at Jackson State, etching his name into SWAC lore in the process.

His entry into the transfer portal brought plenty of interest. But it was always going to be Colorado for Shedeur, especially given the amount of success he reeled off during his dad's first stint in the college game.

Shedeur made his name known in his first season as the Buffaloes' signal caller, throwing for 3,230 yards, 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions. 

Son: Deion Sanders Jr.; Daughters: Deiondra and Shelomi Sanders

In addition to Shilo and Shedeur, Sanders has another three children, each of whom has carved their own lane in their respective industry.

Sports continues to swirl in the family's blood: eldest daughter Deiondra is the director of communications for Sc3 Sports Management, while son Deion Jr. played three years of football at SMU.

His youngest daughter Shelomi is the next one in the pipeline, suiting up for the Buffaloes women's basketball program after transferring from Jackson State with her brothers.

The apple really doesn't fall all that far from the tree.

Author(s)
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David Suggs is a content producer at The Sporting News.
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