Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders’ fall to the fifth round might have been the best value pick of the draft and could end the Browns’ search for a franchise quarterback, according to a former NFL executive.
Former Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks general manager Scot McCloughan appeared on “The Pacman Jones Show” Thursday. When asked about Shedeur Sanders’ future, McCloughan said he gave Sanders a high draft grade and believes he could be the standout quarterback of this draft class.
“I gave him a first,” McCloughan said. “I think he’ll be the best quarterback out of this draft when it’s all said and done.”
McCloughan pointed to his time with the Seahawks as evidence for why Sanders could succeed. The Seahawks selected current Giants quarterback Russell Wilson in the third round of the 2012 draft.
“We did the same thing in Seattle with Russell Wilson, and everybody’s like, ‘Yeah, he’s too short, he’s this, that,’” McCloughan recalled. “We went back-to-back Super Bowls and we won one and lost one.”
McCloughan added that although he doesn’t know Sanders’ father, Pro Football Hall of Famer and University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, personally, he believes the media attention surrounding the family contributed to Sanders dropping to Day 3 of the draft.
What impressed McCloughan most were Sanders’ intangibles. He shared a story about how Sanders handled a situation with his former college teammate and current Jacksonville Jaguars player Travis Hunter.
“I was on the sideline watching the game and he jumped Travis Hunter’s (expletive) like you wouldn’t believe,” McCloughan said. “He had his finger in his face and says, ‘Don’t you ever throw your arms up in the air like that again. If I miss a throw, I miss a throw.’ Travis Hunter bowed down to him. That kind of shows what kind of leadership he has.”
“He has enough respect and enough toughness and competitiveness to do that,” McCloughan continued. “Watch his response every time he came off the field and how he got with the offensive linemen, how he got with the running backs, how he got with the receivers, and he just ran the show. He’s not as athletic as his father but, of course, no one really is.”
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Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.