Shedeur Sanders’ stunning slide finally came to an end.
Once considered a contender to be the first overall pick, the Colorado quarterback fell to No. 144 before the Cleveland Browns took him Saturday in the fifth round of the NFL Draft.
Sanders, the high-profile son of Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders — was the sixth quarterback taken — and the second by the Browns.
Entering the offseason, debates raged over whether Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward was the best quarterback prospect. But the big-armed Ward quickly established himself as the consensus top choice, the Tennessee Titans took him with the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday’s first round.
Sanders was still expected to be a first-round pick, but quarterback-needy teams including the Giants at No. 3, Browns at No. 5, New Orleans Saints at No. 9 and Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 all passed on him with their first selections Thursday.
The Giants, who dedicated considerable time to scouting Sanders, then passed on him again after trading back into the first round and took Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart at No. 25 instead.
Even more surprisingly, Sanders remained on the board throughout Friday night’s second and third rounds.
The Saints drafted Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough with the No. 40 pick, and the Seattle Seahawks selected Alabama’s Jalen Milroe at No. 92. In perhaps the biggest stunner, the Browns drafted Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel at No. 94.
“Another day another opportunity to get a chance to play the game I love,” Sanders wrote on social media on Saturday morning. “Thank you GOD.”
Last season, Sanders led the country with a 74.0% completion percentage, ranked second with 37 touchdown passes and took the Buffaloes to a 9-4 record.
Evaluators touted his accuracy and toughness but were less bullish on his arm strength, athleticism and propensity to hold onto the ball too long. He took an FBS-high 42 sacks in 2024.
But recent reports raised questions about how well Sanders interviewed during the pre-draft process. The Ringer’s Todd McShay said Sanders “didn’t have a great interview with Brian Daboll in a private visit” with the Giants.
The quarterback drew mixed reviews from anonymous coaches and scouts who spoke with NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, with one assistant calling Sanders “the worst formal interview I’ve ever been in in my life.”
Meanwhile, Jerry Jones said his Dallas Cowboys had a high evaluation on Sanders, whose father played for Dallas from 1995-99.
“I know where the character is there, and boy, it is great character,” Jones said Friday of Sanders. “It is an unbelievable competitive winning character.”
Sanders, who stands at 6-1 ½ and 212 pounds, was a four-year collegiate starter, spending his first two years at Jackson State and the last two at Colorado. His father was his head coach at both stops.
Sanders threw for at least 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns in all four seasons. His 71.8% completion percentage over his two years at Colorado gave him the highest career mark among FBS quarterbacks ever.
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