Cleveland Browns, Shedeur Sanders
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As quarterback Shedeur Sanders slipped in the 2025 NFL Draft, multiple reports emerged about a poor pre-draft process that sent him tumbling down the boards. He was finally selected in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns, who reportedly had a very different experience with Sanders than other clubs.
Speaking on ESPN’s NFL Live, senior reporter Jeremy Fowler said that while the word around the league was Sanders had a tough time in interviews with other teams, the Browns’ organization had a very positive experience with him.
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“The word around the league was that he had a tough time in interviews with some of these other teams. That was not the Browns experience. They felt good about him, they felt like he was a good experience, that he’s accurate on the field.”
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on the Cleveland Browns’ experience with Shedeur Sanders
Interestingly, Fowler also shared that the Browns’ front office was surprised by how little the media knew about the team’s love for quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Cleveland seemed to believe that its love for the former Oregon Ducks’ signal-caller was obvious for months, only to see surprising reactions when he was drafted in Round 3.
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Gabriel is ahead of Sanders right now, due to draft selection and how the Browns’ coaching staff is on the third-round pick. However, both quarterbacks are expected to receive a chance this summer to compete with Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett for the Week 1 starting job.
As of now, the tentative expectation seems to be that Sanders and Gabriel will remain on the roster, with one of Flacco or Pickett traded in August. Cleveland could potentially roster all four quarterbacks, but most around the league seem to believe the team will ultimately move one of the veterans.
Related: Why the Cleveland Browns drafted Dillon Gabriel before Shedeur Sanders