Browns Select Shedeur Sanders in NFL Draft After Dramatic Slide

BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns selected quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the 144th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday, after trading their 166th and 192nd overall picks to the Seattle Seahawks. This selection came as a surprise as many expected Sanders, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, to be picked much earlier in the draft.

Sanders’ journey began at Jackson State University, where he played two seasons before transferring to the University of Colorado. During his final two seasons at Colorado, he threw for 7,364 yards, achieving 64 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions. In 2024, Sanders was named a second-team All-American and the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, completing 74% of his passes while throwing for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions.

Browns Executive Vice President and General Manager Andrew Berry expressed excitement about the team’s decision, stating, “We felt like he was a good solid prospect at the most important position. We view him as a highly accurate pocket passer who does a good job of taking care of the ball… We’re excited to work with him,” he told reporters.

Despite high expectations, Sanders’ draft status plummeted over concerns about his performance and off-field distractions. The Browns had previously passed on him multiple times, including drafting Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel in the third round. However, when Sanders was still available in the fifth round, the team opted to trade up.

“He’s highly accurate, can play well from the pocket, very productive college career,” Berry added. “We didn’t necessarily expect him to be available in the fifth round. Our goal is to create competition within the quarterback position.”

Sanders acknowledged the challenging draft process, stating, “I’m just proving Coach [Kevin] Stefanski and Mr. [Andrew] Berry that they were right. That I’m a good decision and a good draft pick for them.”

The Browns now have four quarterbacks on their roster, including veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, along with Sanders and Gabriel. The competition for the starting role promises to be intense, especially with lack of clarity surrounding Watson’s future due to his Achilles injury. Sanders enters with the opportunity to prove his worth and make a positive impact on the team.

As the offseason progresses, the Browns will focus on integrating Sanders into their quarterback competition, starting with rookie minicamp in May.