It has been nearly a month since the Cleveland Browns drafted Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Sanders, who was pegged to be a high draft pick, has joined a crowded quarterback room that features Deshaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, and fellow rookie signal-caller Dillon Gabriel. However, Watson is expected to be out for the season because of an Achilles injury.
That leaves four quarterbacks battling for roster spots. With OTAs set to ramp up next week, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski remarked on what he’s seen so far from Sanders.
Though there has been a lot of drama surrounding the polarizing Sanders, Stefanski heaped praise about his work ethic.
“Shedeur’s a great kid,” Stefanski said to ESPN Cleveland. “He’s working like crazy. He’s in there early, he’s getting his work done, he’s working really, really hard. I like everything there is about Shedeur.”
Earlier this week, the Browns inked a four-year, $4.6 million deal with Sanders. The Colorado product expressed gratitude for the contract with Cleveland.
“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity,” Sanders said. “I don’t ever focus on the negative or even think about the negative. I’ve just got to prove and show what I’m capable of. What fuels me is my purpose in life and understanding the route that we’re going to have to take. Understanding that I was able to get an opportunity when a lot of people didn’t want to give me an opportunity. So that’s what I’m truly thankful for.”
Sanders was selected the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2024 and passed for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns last season. And yet, he unexpectedly slid to the fifth round in the NFL Draft and was the victim of a distasteful prank on the second day of the event.
The 21-year-old son of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich got a hold of Sanders’ draft contact phone number and later used it to conduct a prank call. However, Jax Ulbrich has since apologized to Sanders and released a public statement.
Beyond any sort of drama, the saga surrounding Sanders’ future in the league remains a hot topic of conversation.
Nevertheless, Sanders is officially an NFL quarterback with his recent contract with the Browns and has evidently already made an impression on Stefanski.
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This story was originally published May 23, 2025 at 11:57 AM.