The Cleveland Browns ended what was one of the more surprising situations in NFL draft history, selecting Shedeur Sanders out of Colorado. Sanders, who many believe would be a top-five overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, fell all the way to the 144th pick.
Throughout the first two days of the draft, there was plenty to consider, with many questioning why Sanders wasn’t drafted. After the Browns selected Dillon Gabriel, questions became even more prevalent, as Sanders did nothing throughout his college career but prove to be a better quarterback than Gabriel.
According to a recent report from Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, things might’ve gotten even stranger. Florio reported that the Browns’ new quarterback was starting to question whether he’d go back to Colorado to play with his father, Deion Sanders.
“Last Friday night, while quarterback Shedeur Sanders continued to slide down the draft board, we raised the question of whether, at some point, it would make more sense for him to try to go back to college for another year. It ended up being the most-read story in the 23.5-year history of PFT,” Florio wrote.
“It’s currently clear that, even though he fell to a spot that will pay him roughly $4.5 million over four years, Sanders will be embracing his NFL opportunity. That said, we’re told that the possibility was under consideration before his 144-pick plunge ended. And, separately, it’s our understanding that antitrust specialist Jeffrey Kessler would have been interested in exploring the possibility of mounting a challenge to NCAA rules that would have prevented, in theory, Sanders’s return.”
Sanders Situation Was Confusing
Regardless of how some in the media feel about Sanders, the Cleveland Browns made the right decision by drafting him. One could’ve argued that he was the right pick at No. 2, but regardless, the Browns had to do what they did and traded that pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With what happened during the draft, many players around the NFL have questioned the motive behind it. That includes Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings, who said it was crazy that he fell that far.
“I think it’s crazy he dropped that far in the draft,” Jefferson said when speaking with Bleacher Report. “I really don’t think he should have dropped that far, just watching him the previous seasons and seeing the different things he did at Colorado. I definitely thought he should’ve been drafted in that first, second round. I guess it’s just more fire for him and more chip on his shoulder that he can use going into the league.”
Sanders Needs to Prove Doubters Wrong
There isn’t much that Sanders can do at this point, outside of going to the Cleveland Browns and proving to the rest of the league that he has the opportunity to be an above-average NFL quarterback.
There were times during his career at Colorado where he didn’t perform at the highest level, but for the most part, he was very good, and falling to No. 144 was either a direct shot at his character or Sanders’ father.
The draft process is over, but the Browns, for once, look like they might’ve done something right. If he could be the steal of the draft, Cleveland would be very happy.
