Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders will be making his second career start on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. Sanders was a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft from the Colorado Buffaloes.
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Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) and Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) embrace after the game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
There were a lot of people who believed that he was going to be a first-round pick. Well, Cleveland decided to take a chance on him in the fifth-round instead and this was after drafting quarterback Dillon Gabriel from the Oregon Ducks in the third-round of the 2025 NFL Draft. There are fans and analysts who believe that Sanders starting for the Browns against the 49ers is the right move.
ESPN Cleveland Radio Analyst Makes Crazy Prediction About Cleveland Browns QB Shedeur Sanders
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Nov 23, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) celebrates with running back Dylan Sampson (22) after the two connected for a passing touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
ESPN Cleveland radio analyst Tony Rizzo is one of the biggest Sanders fans in the Cleveland, Ohio area. He made a bold take on radio on Tuesday about him and said,
“Shedeur wasn’t a 5th round draft pick, he deserved to be picked in the 1st round and he’s about to prove it.”
It is a bold take that he doesn’t think that Sanders was a fifth-round pick. Rizzo believes that he was a first-round talent taken in the fifth round. Well, it is going to be interesting to see what he can do against a tougher San Francisco defense compared to facing the Las Vegas Raiders last week.
If Sanders flops this week, it will be interesting to see if head coach Kevin Stefanski will go back to Gabriel. Rizzo can’t get too far ahead of himself with that comment about Shedeur. If he does well against the San Francisco, then the Browns may have to make him the starting quarterback the rest of the season. The 49ers will probably look to blitz him and make him uncomfortable all game long.
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