-
Daniel Oyefusi
The Cleveland Browns ended Shedeur Sanders‘ shocking slide on Day 3 of the NFL draft Saturday, making him the second quarterback they chose this weekend.
The Browns traded up with the Seattle Seahawks to pick out Sanders with the 144th general choose within the fifth spherical Saturday. Cleveland gave Seattle its 166th and 192nd picks.
After being chosen, Sanders posted to X: “Thanks GOD.”
Shilo and Shedeur dancing after Shedeur bought drafted by the Cleveland Browns.
(by way of shilosanders/Twitch) pic.twitter.com/qPrVXCoF4c
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2025
“I might say I am extraordinarily grateful for the chance all through every part,” Sanders stated throughout a convention name with native reporters. “I do not ever deal with the unfavorable and even take into consideration the unfavorable as a result of the optimistic occurred so quick and it is a change of feelings. For me, it was simply taking part in quarterback. That is what it is about. You’ll be able to’t be up, too low or something. You bought to have the ability to have a good time. And after we rating a landing, we have a good time for a bit bit. Now, it is again to, time to work, it is time to go.”
The Browns had been linked to Sanders after spending intensive time with him all through the draft course of however handed on him a number of instances. Cleveland traded again with the Jacksonville Jaguars from its No. 2 slot to No. 5, getting a commerce bundle that included the thirty sixth choose (which the workforce used on working again Quinshon Judkins) and a 2026 first-round choose. Cleveland chosen defensive sort out Mason Graham with the fifth general choose.
The Browns handed on Sanders once more on the finish of the third spherical, deciding on quarterback Dillon Gabriel with the 94th choose. When requested why the workforce did not choose Sanders, basic supervisor Andrew Berry on Friday evening famous that 4 rounds remained and that he remained impressed with Sanders. A workforce supply stated that regardless of the choose of Gabriel, Sanders remained on the workforce’s board.
Berry advised reporters Saturday that because the workforce entered Day 3, there have been discussions about probably concentrating on Sanders if he continued to fall. Berry stated there was an early run on among the gamers whom the workforce had focused within the remaining rounds, and as Sanders continued to be obtainable, the choice to commerce up for him got here collectively shortly.
“We discuss oftentimes about quarterback being a very powerful place within the sport,” Berry stated. “We clearly spent plenty of time with Shedeur all through the method. He is extremely correct, can play nicely from the pocket, very productive school profession. And we felt prefer it wasn’t essentially the plan going into the weekend to pick out two quarterbacks, however we do imagine in greatest participant obtainable, we do imagine in positional worth. We did not essentially count on him to be obtainable within the fifth spherical. So, we love including competitors to each place room and including him to compete with guys which are already in there, we felt like that was the suitable factor to do.”
Berry later stated: “As soon as it bought to some extent the place it felt prefer it was a reasonably steep low cost, we simply felt like, particularly relative to the choice ways in which we may use this choice, this made probably the most sense.”
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski stated earlier within the week that each participant within the quarterback room will compete to be the starter. This offseason, the Browns acquired Kenny Pickett in a commerce with the Philadelphia Eagles and signed Joe Flacco in free company. Deshaun Watson is anticipated to overlook a good portion of the 2025 season after retearing his proper Achilles tendon.
Because the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999, quarterback stability has escaped the Browns. Forty completely different quarterbacks have began for the workforce throughout that span, 10 greater than the next-closest workforce. Sanders joins a reshaped quarterback room with a chance to compete for a beginning function early.
Through the draft course of and as Sanders slid into Day 3, reviews and rumors surfaced about how his character and celeb upbringing because the son of Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer and Colorado soccer coach Deion Sanders may have deterred groups. Berry, although, stated the workforce had optimistic interactions with Shedeur and felt comfy with him as a person.
“We felt good with him as an individual,” Berry stated. “He works arduous, he is a very good child, he desires to be nice. His teammates cherished him at Colorado, and I do know he’ll are available in right here able to work, able to try to put his greatest foot ahead in all areas of competitors.”
When requested if the way in which he dealt with his predraft interviews may have performed a job in his fall, Sanders stated, “I believe what occurred was I had an incredible interview and nice course of with the Browns and that is why they had been capable of choose me. So, something exterior the group is known as a nonfactor to me now as a result of that is my focus and that is the place my thoughts is, is doing every part I can to make this workforce higher. So, every part exterior of that, the opinions do not actually matter.”
Through the predraft course of, the Browns met with Sanders on the East-West Shrine Bowl and once more on the NFL scouting mix. Cleveland additionally hosted Sanders on a go to after which a big contingent traveled to Boulder, Colorado, to have dinner with him and two-way star Travis Hunter the evening earlier than their professional day exercise.
“The folks, they had been real. It was actual cool,” Sanders stated of his go to to the Browns’ facility in March. “So, I left that go to realizing that if that was the place for me, I might really feel actual comfy with what they’ve in place.”
A four-year starter in school — Sanders spent his first two seasons at FCS Jackson State, taking part in for his father earlier than transferring to Colorado to comply with him — Sanders led the FBS with a 74% completion price final season, and his 37 passing touchdowns had been second most within the FBS. A second-team All-American choice, Sanders was named the 2024 Huge 12 Offensive Participant of the Yr and gained the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award because the nation’s prime upperclassman quarterback.
Sanders was the sixth quarterback taken within the draft, following Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe and Gabriel.
“The principle factor I am simply proving,” Sanders stated, “I am simply proving Coach Stefanski and Mr. Berry that they are proper, that they are proper about selecting me. That I am an excellent resolution, that I am an excellent draft choose for them.”
Sanders wasn’t the one of Deion Sanders’ sons to land an NFL job Saturday. Undrafted Colorado security Shilo Sanders signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a supply advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
