Cleveland Browns Select Shedeur Sanders in NFL Draft’s Fifth Round

Cleveland, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns ended the prolonged wait for quarterback Shedeur Sanders when they selected him with the 144th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday. Sanders, who played for Colorado, became the sixth quarterback chosen in this year’s draft after slipping significantly over the weekend.

The Browns traded picks No. 166 and 192 to the Seattle Seahawks to secure the selection of Sanders, who had seen a dramatic descent in draft projections. Concerns about his performance and off-field issues led many teams, including Cleveland, to overlook him until the fifth round.

After the selection, Browns general manager Andrew Berry noted the team did not anticipate that Sanders would still be available on Day 3 of the draft. ‘He’s highly accurate,’ Berry said. ‘He can play well from the pocket. Very productive college career.’ The Browns previously selected Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel in the third round, raising questions about their quarterback strategy.

Despite the earlier selections, the team felt Sanders deserved a chance based on his impressive college stats, which include 14,327 passing yards and 134 touchdowns over four seasons. In 2024, he led the nation with a 74.1 completion percentage and was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Berry added that ownership did not pressure the front office into drafting Sanders, expressing confidence in their evaluation process. ‘Jimmy [Haslam] lets us do our job,’ he said.

Sanders, the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, faced high expectations throughout the draft due to his pedigree and performance. He was widely regarded as a top quarterback prospect but fell to the fifth round amid doubts about his size and athleticism. Despite these concerns, Berry highlighted Sanders’ toughness and competitiveness.

The quarterback room in Cleveland now includes seasoned NFL players Joe Flacco, who is recovering from an Achilles injury, alongside younger prospects Gabriel and Kenny Pickett. The impending competition for the starting quarterback position is expected to intensify as the offseason progresses.

As Sanders prepares for his rookie season, he faces the challenge of proving himself in a crowded field. Berry emphasized that all players, including Sanders, must compete for their positions: ‘Nothing is being given,’ he said. ‘It really doesn’t matter where you’re picked. It’s what you do going forward.’