The NFL Draft went mostly as expected, though there was one notable exception. Shedeur Sanders, Colorado quarterback, was expected to go in the first round of the draft, but that didn’t happen. In fact, he wound up not going in the first four rounds of the draft.
Taken by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round, Sanders enters the league as one of its most polarizing prospects. What do the Browns have in Sanders, and what can they reasonably expect out of him going into the 2025 season?
The Fall from Grace
Sanders’ fall is the single most talked-about storyline from the 2025 NFL Draft. When the draft cycle began, he was considered a potential first-round pick. As things moved along, Sanders mostly landed in the middle to late part of the first round.
When the draft began, that assumption hadn’t changed. But as the first round came to a close, Sanders remained unselected. Everyone assumed he would come off the board at any moment, but he lasted until the fifth round, even after the Browns had already taken quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third.
Landing with the Browns Could be a Good Thing
Though the situation had to be somewhat of an embarrassment, it could be a silver lining for both Sanders and the Browns. For Sanders, humility was a major question mark going into the draft. His perpetual branding, “bling”, and the ever-looming presence of his father Deion all created a whirlwind of questions.
Falling to the fifth round and landing with a tortured franchise could be a good thing. For starters, a bit of humility would go a long way for Sanders. It could be reasonably argued that his head got a little too big for his shoulders going into the draft.
The Browns, meanwhile, get a top-flight prospect at an exceptional value. With Gabriel and a few veterans in the mix, Sanders won’t have pressure on him to start. He’ll also have a chip on his shoulder, the ultimate motivator to bring his talent to the forefront and maximize his potential. It could be the perfect storm for the Browns to have found a diamond in the rough.
What Sanders Brings to the Table
For a fifth-round quarterback, Sanders has a pretty high floor. His ceiling remains something of a question mark, but he has proven himself to be capable of running an offense at a high-level program. Most quarterbacks taken late in the draft have some physical traits but require a lot of work to see any kind of return.
As a passer, he has exceptional accuracy. He is capable of making highly accurate throws in the short and intermediate range, though his deep ball may not quite be at the highest level. That accuracy as a passer makes it easier for him to gain confidence and momentum early in his career.
Sanders also showed great mental makeup at Colorado. He faced plenty of tough situations, especially with a weaker-than-average offensive line. In critical situations, he showed calmness and poise that many quarterback prospects don’t at this stage. With a franchise like the Browns, that kind of poise will come in handy more often than not.
Challenges He Must Overcome
Though he graded out as a high-level prospect prior to the draft, he was not without fault. We heard a lot about how often he spent avoiding pressure while playing with Colorado, but some of that may have been his fault as well.
Sanders, like many other college quarterbacks, tends to hold onto the ball longer than he should. That won’t fly in the NFL, where defenders are capable of getting to the quarterback in a handful of seconds with consistency.
Learning to check down and take what the defense gives him will be crucial. His accuracy is an asset in that sense but will be mitigated if he can’t get the ball out of his hand. Given his size and less-than-elite athleticism, it would behoove him to get the ball out rather than leaving himself open to big hits from defenders.
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His Development Will be Critical
Since he wasn’t taken with a high pick in the draft, expectations can shift for Sanders. Rather than having to likely be a Day 1 starter, Sanders will have a chance to learn and develop within the Browns system as a rookie.
If he can start at any point, that is a win for the Browns. Not being pressured into the lineup gives him a chance to learn the intricacies of the offense, find his place, and develop trust from the coaching staff that will become imperative on his journey to not only be a successful pro, but a star in the NFL.
