It's better late than never.
Shedeur Sanders had to wait until Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, but the Cleveland Browns finally called his name with the 144th overall pick in the draft's fifth round on Saturday.
The first round of the draft did not go how Sanders envisioned, as he did not hear his name get called. But no one expected the same to occur on Friday night, as three more quarterbacks were taken before him.
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After Cam Ward went No. 1, the freefall truly began when the New Orleans Saints opted to go with Kelvin Banks Jr. with the ninth selection.
All eyes were on the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 in the first round, but as no one traded up in front of them, their selection also came and went without a QB, opting for Derrick Harmon.
The New York Giants traded back into the first round, but they opted for Jaxson Dart instead, effectively ending any chance Sanders would be a first-rounder.
Then, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe, and Dillon Gabriel were selected on Friday.
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But Gabriel, who the Browns selected in the third round, is now Sanders' teammate as they bring in another quarterback, making it four on the depth chart, including veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett.
Deshaun Watson, who GM Andrew Berry admitted didn't work out as planned when they traded for him with the Houston Texans in 2022, is uncertain to play in 2025 after reinjuring his Achilles he ruptured last season.
After the first round, Sanders admitted he "didn't expect" his drop-off on Thursday, but it is now "fuel to the fire." On Saturday morning before the fourth round began, he posted on X saying he was excited for "another opportunity to get a chance to play the game I love."
The Browns finally turned that dream into a reality, and now Sanders can look ahead to impacting the team and city of Cleveland next season and beyond.
Sanders, a four-star recruit and top 100 overall prospect across the nation, began his college career alongside his father at Jackson State after "Coach Prime" was brought in to lead the program. He initially committed to play at Florida Atlantic despite multiple SEC offers.
Sanders quickly showed off his passing skills, earning SWAC Freshman of the Year honors after throwing for 3,231 yards with 30 touchdowns to eight interceptions, while also rushing in for three scores over 13 games.
In 2022, Sanders topped that with a SWAC Player of the Year performance, which included 3,752 yards, 40 touchdowns and just six interceptions with six more rushing touchdowns.
The competition changed, though, when Sanders followed his father again, this time to Colorado to start in the Pac-12. The Buffaloes didn't have immediate success, but the hype was high as Sanders came in and threw for 3,230 yards with 27 touchdowns to only three interceptions.
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He had a 69.3% completion rate on 430 pass attempts over 11 games. The Buffaloes would finish 4-8 on the season, with Sanders missing the finale due to a fractured back.
Instead of entering the Draft last season, Sanders stayed on for another year at Colorado, and it appeared to be the right move. He earned second-team All-American honors as well as being named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and a Heisman Trophy finalist. He set a school record with 64 career passing touchdowns, and did so in just two seasons of play.
Sanders also led the FBS with a 74% completion rate -again another school record. In 13 games, he had 4,134 passing yards with 37 touchdowns to 10 interceptions.
On tape, Sanders is a highly accurate quarterback with good pocket presence and the ability to scramble, which you'd like to see at the pro level. Some criticism from experts includes a standard NFL arm with a long release compared to others, and a knack for wanting the big chunk play instead of going through progressions and checking down when needed.
There's also the massive spotlight Sanders has been in considering his father's exuberant personality as a player and now a coach. One NFL coach reportedly called him "entitled," while others are skeptical about how that popularity will affect him on the field at this new level.
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