The Cleveland Browns certainly made their own headlines during the NFL Draft. So they moved up to make sure they got Shedeur Sanders at 144th overall in the fifth round! Following a round of site visits and public charrettes, the team chose their winning partner. They continued to praise Sanders as a quarterback talent with impressive upside, stealing headlines on every big stage.
Shedeur Sanders, a four-year college starter, bounced from Jackson State to Colorado after two seasons. His performance at Colorado was particularly impressive. Last season, he tore up the FBS with an almost video game-like completion percentage of 74%. He tossed 37 passing scores, good enough for second place in the FBS rankings. His incredible achievements both astounded and inspired us. He went on to win the 2024 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and the prestigious Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, recognizing him as the nation’s best upperclassman quarterback. That performance got him second-team All-American recognition. This accomplishment cemented his place as one of the elite quarterbacks from his class.
The Cincinnati Bengals made a deal with the top-10 Browns to grab their pick of Sanders. As part of the trade, the Broncos sent the Seahawks the 36th overall pick and continued to pay a first-round pick in the 2026 draft. This shrewd strategic move shows Cleveland’s desire to improve their QB depth chart or to find that future franchise QB.
Sanders, as it was well known in the pre-draft process that Cleveland’s front office was very high on him. After initially hiring him at the East-West Shrine Bowl, they later evaluated his talents at the NFL scouting combine. Sanders showing up to the Browns’ facility and breaking bread with team personnel the night before his Pro Day workout. This visit was enough to show him that the organization was all in on him.
Even with the thought that Sanders would go higher in the draft than projected, he still fell all the way to Day 3. The Browns passed on him multiple times. Each time they decided to pass on him, until they finally landed him at the top of the fifth round.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry expressed complete confidence in Sanders, saying, “We felt good with him as a person. He further reflected on the importance of selecting a quarterback, noting, “We talk oftentimes about quarterback being the most important position in the sport.” Berry likened this to having a discount on Sanders’ availability, and when they realized that, they knew they had a real opportunity. They had to stop it from sailing through.
As Sanders joins the Browns, he will enter a competitive quarterback room where he will vie for the starting position. His pedigree is unparalleled too. He is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. This link brings a thrilling element of mystery to his career path.
Leave a Reply