Shedeur Sanders entered the draft process as a polarizing figure, carrying both the weight of expectations and the intense scrutiny that followed him throughout college.
Sanders slipped from projected first-round status all the way to Day 3, where the Cleveland Browns finally selected him.
The son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders signed a four-year rookie contract worth approximately $4 million and now faces the challenge of making the roster.
Recently, Sanders addressed the hate that has shadowed his career, offering insight into how he handles the negativity.
> “They don’t care about other people’s opinion of you,” Sanders said. “They go based off their own. 99% of hatred (directed at me) is toward Pops. And then I’m just his son. … But (the kids) didn’t grow up in an era to where they watched him play … It‘s just the older generation that does it to me rather than the younger people. Because when I come in person, there’s no negativity I see. But it‘s all over online,” Sanders [told](https://www.cleveland.com/browns/2025/05/proper-shedeur-sanders-perspective-requires-browns-fans-to-think-like-a-child-jimmy-watkins.html) Cleveland.com.
The New York Giants invested significant time evaluating Sanders during the pre-draft process. Their front office reportedly viewed him as potential first-round material.
However, general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll shifted course and selected Jaxson Dart instead.
That decision prompted a strong response from Deion Sanders, who expressed frustration over what he considered false narratives about his son that contributed to the draft slide.
Sanders now enters a crowded quarterback room in Cleveland. He faces competition from veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, along with fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.
The depth chart presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the young quarterback looking to silence the doubters.
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