Cleveland Browns release conversation with Shedeur Sanders after NFL Draft pick

Shedeur Sanders suffered an agonizing slide during the 2025 NFL Draft. A projected first round pick heading into last weekend’s event, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year wasn’t selected until pick No. 144 in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns.

Regardless, Sanders enjoyed the moment when he received the phone call from the franchise, even if it came two days later than he expected. Check out the video of the moment below, where the former Colorado star spoke with Browns general manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski, both offering words of encouragement, and a mission statement for Sanders’ future.

"Let's get ready to go to work and prove everyone who passed on you wrong"

the moment the phone rang for @ShedeurSanders was one to remember 📞 https://t.co/7ZPXQadnwO

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) April 30, 2025

“I know it’s been a long weekend. We’re going to take you off the board here,” Berry told Sanders, revealing Cleveland was selecting the quarterback. “You gotta come in, you gotta work hard, you gotta earn your job, earn your keep. It doesn’t matter where you’re taken, it matters what you do from this point forward.

“You’re talented. We spent a lot of time with you. You’re a good kid. Let’s get ready to go to work, and prove all the people who passed on you wrong.”

Even though Cleveland was one of the teams who passed on Sanders multiple times, even going as far as to pick a different quarterback in the third round in former Oregon star Dillon Gabriel, the sentiment rang true for Sanders. He’ll have his shot to prove everyone wrong who doubted him, and he’s certainly thankful to the Browns for delivering that to him.

Continuing, Stefanski hammered that point home to his new quarterback. If it all works out for Sanders in Cleveland, it won’t matter what happened during the 2025 NFL Draft. All that matters to the Browns is what happens in the future with the former Colorado star.

“Remember I told you, the Lord works in mysterious ways, right?” Stefanski said, speaking with Sanders. “It’s an opportunity, and we’re going to get to work together.”

All told, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Sanders makes a claim to be the team’s quarterback of the future, despite his fifth-round draft status. The quarterback room of Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and the aforementioned Gabriel isn’t exactly intimidating. He could rise above and become the starter Cleveland is yearning for.

First round, fifth round, whatever — Shedeur Sanders is a Brown, and now the real work begins. Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski believe in him, and that might be enough. We’ll see if he can get the job done in Cleveland moving forward, or if he flames out of the franchise due to the same concerns that caused him to fall over the weekend.