The race to be the top quarterback prospect in next year's NFL draft is wide open, and it's certainly possible that Colorado's Shedeur Sanders could end up carrying that torch.

As the college football season soon approaches, at least one NFC West scout has been impressed with his work, telling ESPN's Matt Miller: "Sanders really wowed me with his play, especially the accuracy, but can he stay healthy behind that line?"

Last season, Sanders completed 69.3 percent of his passes for 3,230 yards (7.5 yards per attempt), 27 touchdowns and just three interceptions despite taking 52 sacks. Brian Howell of BuffZone notably wrote that it was a "disastrous 2023 season in the trenches." The team was also last in Division I FBS in rushing.

That hasn't really hurt Sanders' draft stock, though, at least from analysts who note his chance to state his case in 2024.

Sanders landed at No. 14 (to the Pittsburgh Steelers) in Bleacher Report's way-too-early 2025 mock draft last April. It read in part:

"Colorado's Shedeur Sanders has a lot to prove this season. He took on a lot a year ago while carrying a Buffaloes offense that had no business being in some of the games it was simply because Sanders could create when everything else broke down.

"As the program continues to improve around him, Sanders has a chance to solidify himself as a first-round talent and potential franchise target."

He'll get that chance behind a whole new offensive line, as Howell noted.

"CU added nine transfers, in addition to signing the No. 1 offensive line recruit in the 2024 class, Jordan Seaton. Of the nine transfers, five were full-time starters at the FBS level last year. In all, the transfer group has a combined 96 career starts at the FBS level and 11 more at the FCS level.

"It is a group that has bonded well with Shedeur Sanders this offseason, and there is confidence in that group that they are better than what CU had a year ago."

Sanders, the new O-line and the rest of the Buffaloes kick off this season at home on Aug. 29 against North Dakota State.