Shedeur Sanders' draft saga finally ended on Saturday in the fifth round of the 2025 国产外流网Draft.
The Cleveland Browns traded up to pick No. 144 overall to select the Colorado quarterback.
Cleveland sent picks No. 166 and 192 overall to Seattle for the rights to the selection.
The Browns and the entire league continually passed on Sanders amid discussions about his play and concerns about off-field distractions. Cleveland passed on the Colorado QB six times, including drafting fellow rookie signal-caller Dillon Gabriel in the third round on Friday night.
Ultimately, they moved up in the fifth round to stop Sanders' draft weekend slide.
"Nothing really affected me the last couple of days," Sanders told reporters on Saturday, per the team transcript. "I'm favored, I'm blessed. Besides that, it's not really anything that changed, the love of the game, is still the love of the game. When you get on the field, there wasn't too much negativity being said. I know I gotta clean up some things in my game for me to be at my best, but that's what I take each offseason one at a time and fix it.
"The main thing, I'm just proving, coach (Kevin) Stefanski and (general manager Andrew) Berry that they are right. That's it. They're right about picking me. I'm a good decision. I'm a good draft pick for them, to be able to come in there and do what I need to do."
Following the selection of Gabriel on Friday, Berry was asked about passing on Sanders for a QB who many media analysts had a lower grade.
"The time that we spent with Shedeur and what he's done throughout his college career is impressive," Berry said. "He's an impressive young man. He's a really good quarterback. Sometimes fit comes into play."
The fit came in the fifth round, apparently.
On Saturday, Berry said they didn't expect Sanders to be available in the fifth round.
"He's highly accurate," Berry told reporters following the pick, via 国产外流网Network's Cameron Wolfe. "Can play well from the pocket. Very productive college career. It wasn't necessarily the plan going into the weekend to draft two QBs. We believe in best player available. We didn't expect him to be available in (the) fifth."
In addition to drafting Gabriel ahead of Sanders, the Browns also passed on the Colorado product in the fourth round when they took running back Dylan Sampson at No. 126.
A two-year starter at Colorado after transferring from Jackson State when his father, Deion, took over in Boulder, Sanders stood tall behind a sieve offensive line. In two campaigns with the Buffaloes, the signal-caller tossed 7,364 yards and 64 touchdowns. In four collegiate seasons, he posted 14,327 passing yards, 134 touchdowns to 27 interceptions and a 70.1 completion percentage.
In 2024, Sanders completed a career-high 74% of 477 pass attempts for 4,134 yards with 37 TD tosses and 10 INTs, becoming a second-team All-American and the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
The son of one of the greatest players in 国产外流网history, Shedeur Sanders, was one of the most hotly debated prospects in the entire 2025 class. Those debates were magnified as a potential early-round pick plummeted into Day 3.
Berry noted that ownership didn't pressure the front office into selecting Sanders.
"Jimmy (Haslam) lets us do our job," he said.
The 23-year-old's production during college was undeniable. A strong base and polished mechanics give Sanders a solid pocket foundation. He displays a knack for leading receivers, a good understanding of route timing, and can drive the ball between the hashes.
Sanders took a lot of sacks at Colorado, playing behind a porous offensive line. However, he never flinched. The QB can stand in under pressure, make throws while getting crunched, and he displays subtle pocket movement to buy time. Those are traits the best 国产外流网signal-callers own.
However, Sanders doesn't offer a high upside entering the NFL. His size (6-foot-1 1/2, 212 pounds) and arm strength are average. He's neither an explosive athlete nor fleet of foot. He has a knack for holding the ball too long, taking sacks instead of living to see the next play. He's more of a touch than power thrower, which could get him into trouble with tighter 国产外流网windows.
The negative on-field traits, bundled with perceived off-field flaws, led to his draft tumble.
Sanders might not possess high-upside talent, but there are zero questions about his toughness and competitive drive. He'll need to show that competitive drive in Cleveland, as his draft status ensures nothing will be handed to him.
"Message is come in and work," Berry said on Saturday. "Come in and compete. Nothing is being given. ... We told him it really doesn't matter where you're picked. It's what you do going forward."
Sanders joins a QB room in Cleveland with 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco, former first-rounder Kenny Pickett and Gabriel. Deshaun Watson is dealing with an Achilles injury and isn't expected to play in 2025.
"I know I'm going to fit in perfectly," Sanders said. "I feel like it's first getting in, showing respect to the vets, showing them I'm here ready to work. Show the coaches and have them understand, I'm here ready to work. So they could actually understand the real me. That's what I'm truly thankful to have, is the opportunity for people to actually see the real me and not be able to see stuff that could be true or not."
With no clear-cut long-term starter, Sanders will have a chance to prove his doubters wrong. For Cleveland, he's a lottery ticket in the fifth round. If he doesn't pan out, it'll likely be at the QB table again next year. If he can beat out Gabriel, Pickett and Flacco and prove his backers right, the Browns will have a cheap starter.
How Stefanski balances QB reps this offseason will be fascinating. The battle for those snaps will start at rookie minicamp in May.
The Browns spent the offseason tossing darts at the board in an effort to find a starter after the Watson debacle. On Saturday, they made their most high-profile move by selecting Sanders.
