Former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders just took his first NFL practice snaps in the Browns' rookie minicamp. Still, he's already earning elite praise from one of the league's former top executives.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Pacman Jones Show, former NFL executive and general manager Scot McCloughan said that when it’s all said and done, Sanders will be the best quarterback to come out of the 2025 NFL Draft.
McCloughan’s endorsement of Sanders should carry some weight. He served as general manager for the San Francisco 49ers and Washington Commanders and has worked as a scouting consultant for several NFL teams, developing a track record of identifying top-tier quarterback talent. His praise for Sanders comes amidst a developing quarterback competition in Cleveland, which only adds to the intrigue.
The Browns’ decision to take Sanders in the fifth round raised eyebrows across the league. After a standout college career at Jackson State and Colorado, winning the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and finishing with the highest completion percentage in Division I college football history, many analysts expected Sanders to be selected earlier. But McCloughan’s belief in Sanders echoes a sentiment that has only grown louder since rookie minicamp.
When Pacman Jones asked McCloughan how he graded Sanders and why he thought the former Buff slipped in the draft, McCloughan didn’t hesitate.
“I gave him a first. I think he'll be the best quarterback out of this draft,” McCloughan said. “When his career is said and done, he'll be the best quarterback taken in this draft.”
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McCloughan might know a thing or two about spotting quarterback talent. While with San Francisco, he helped draft Alex Smith No. 1 overall in 2005. Later, as a senior personnel executive in Seattle, he helped the Seahawks land Russell Wilson in the third round—a decision that fueled back-to-back Super Bowl appearances.
“We did the same thing in Seattle with Russell Wilson,” McCloughan said. “Everybody’s like, ‘He’s too short,’ this, that, and that. We went to back-to-back Super Bowls — won one, lost one — but whatever.”
Still, Browns fans have been here before. Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the franchise has cycled through a carousel of quarterbacks, from first-rounders like Tim Couch and Johnny Manziel to Super Bowl MVPs like Joe Flacco, with limited long-term success. That history naturally tempers expectations, especially for a rookie who slipped to Day Three and was selected 50 picks after Cleveland drafted Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel in the third round.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) watches quarterback Dillon Gabriel (5) during day two of NFL rookie minicamp at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. / Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
However, early signs suggest Sanders is already settling in. Practice footage shows his elite ball placement, and reports highlight his early command of the offense. He’s also building chemistry with teammates and embracing the process with humility and confidence.
“I understand; I gotta go in here; I gotta learn. I gotta establish myself. I gotta be a great teammate,” Sanders said in an exclusive interview with Cleveland Browns Daily. “I feel like the Browns fans just want something to hope for, and they’ve been wanting it for so long. So finally, you know, I’m here to change that. I’m here to actually give them what they want.”
For now, the talk remains just that — talk. But if Scot McCloughan is right, the Cleveland Browns may have pulled off one of the biggest steals in recent NFL Draft memory. And if Sanders does deliver, fans and analysts alike will have no choice but to respect the quarterback who finally turned things around in Cleveland.
