The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are officially linked to the Sanders family.

Last weekend, the Buccaneers signed former Colorado safety Shilo Sanders, the son of legendary two-sport athlete turned college coach, Deion Sanders, to an undrafted free agent contract. Sanders is set to participate in Tampa Bay’s rookie minicamp later this month.

Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) prepares to pass the ball in the third quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Sanders’ brother, Shedeur Sanders, was also eligible for the 2025 NFL Draft. Despite being one of the top projected quarterbacks on the board, Shedeur Sanders fell to the fifth round before the Cleveland Browns picked him up.

The slide has earned plenty of attention across the country as Sanders went from Heisman finalist to draft underdog. Former Buccaneers safety and Super Bowl XXXVII Champion, Dexter Jackson, recently chimed in on the situation in an interview with Roto Grinders’ Ben Mendelowitz.

Jackson also went later in the draft than he expected to following a standout senior season at Florida State. He used the disrespect as fuel and wants to see Sanders do the same. Everyone has a story about overcoming adversity and this could be his.

“I was supposed to be drafted a lot higher than where I ended up. I hope Sanders does what I did and uses it for fuel. He should have a chip on his shoulder, and he should write down the name of every quarterback who went ahead of him and put that list on the back of his bedroom door,” Jackon said. “That’s what I did so the list was the first thing I saw when I woke up and the last thing I saw before I slept. Every time I woke up, my first thought was to outwork those guys every day.”

Nov 23, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) jogs onto the field during the game against the Kansas Jayhawks at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images / Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

“Shedeur was a phenomenal player in college, and he absolutely can be a great player in the NFL. He took a lot of hits but always kept coming back and kept playing hard,” Jackson continued. “He shouldn’t let where he was drafted affect his goal of wanting to become a starting quarterback on a Super Bowl winning team. There’s plenty of stories of guys not being the first choice but being the best choice. Tom Brady was a 6th-rounder. Kurt Warner was bagging groceries.”

With Deshaun Watson expected to miss the upcoming season due to an injury, Cleveland completely rebuilt its quarterback room this offseason. The Browns signed Joe Flacco and traded for Kenny Pickett while drafting Dillon Gabriel and Sanders.

There’s no telling how this group of players could turn out. With Cleveland likely not in the hunt for a postseason spot, finding out if Gabriel or Sanders have what it takes to be the quarterback of the future will be important.

Jackson sees a scenario where Sanders is handed the starting reins.

Aug 9, 2008; Houston, TX, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Dexter Jackson (10) prepares before the game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

“If you look at the Browns’ quarterback room, Sanders could even start this year. We don’t know how the Browns feel about Deshaun Watson, and he’s hurt anyway,” Jackson said. “Joe Flacco is 40 years old, and then there’s Kenny Pickett. There’s an opportunity there for both Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. Regardless of who starts, they should keep Flacco because his experience will be valuable to Sanders and Gabriel.”

“When you’re a quarterback in the NFL, a lot of things are thrown at you, but Flacco could teach them how to be a pro and help them develop skills, such as reading pro defenses,” Jackson added. “Flacco has seen a lot in his career, so he’ll be a great person to learn from.”

Either way, Jackson wants to see Sanders and Gabriel have success in the NFL.

“I wish all the success to both Sanders and Gabriel because someone is always going to need a quarterback,” Jackson said. “The Browns may have even picked both because they think someone could trade for one of them down the line.”

Only time will tell if both Sanders brothers are able to prove the doubters wrong and overcome the odds.