Why Shedeur Sanders is like Tim Tebow during NFL Draft slide

Tim Tebow did the opposite of Shedeur Sanders.

The left-handed legend from Florida was viewed by most as a day-two NFL Draft pick, then went in the first round to the Denver Broncos at No. 25 overall. Meanwhile, Colorado's Sanders was a consensus first-round pick but hasn't been chosen through three rounds.

Despite that clear difference, their stories are overlapping in one key way.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe called it "the backup dilemma."

Tebow didn't face this issue until the latter stages of his NFL career after having a surprisingly strong start to his tenure with the Broncos. It's what Sanders appears to be facing now.

Howe wrote about how NFL teams want their backups to be relatively anonymous.

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Tebow might've been the most famous QB in football during his time in the league. Sanders is certainly more prominent than your average backup, too.

Starting quarterbacks will always garner attention. They're often the face of a given franchise. They can be famous, or brash, or outspoken. It's all part of the gig.

The backup's job is to be ready when called upon and not stir up the pot. They're supposed to support the team and support the starter.

Tebow struggled to find teams to sign him because bringing him on as a backup also invited the circus, through no fault of Tebow.

Now with Sanders sliding, he's facing the same problem. If a team only views him as their backup, why bring him in and invite all the added scrutiny he'll bring?

Very little of this was the fault of Tebow, and very little of it is the direct fault of Sanders.

It's just the reality Shedeur is currently facing, much like a free agent Tebow once did.

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