Cleveland Browns select Shedeur Sanders in fifth round of 2025 NFL Draft

The Cleveland Browns have selected former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Sanders was regarded as one of the top QBs at the collegiate level last season and has now made the jump to the professional level after his selection. He hit an unexpected slide, but he’ll now go to Cleveland after his long wait.

As a senior in 2024, Sanders threw for a career-best 4,134 yards on an impressive 74% completion percentage to go along with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Spending the last two seasons playing for the Buffaloes, he scored 72 total touchdowns.

All told, Sanders passed for 14,318 yards and 134 touchdowns. His 10 interceptions in 2024 were a career-high, so he isn’t known for turning the ball over through the air.

Before Colorado, Sanders played two seasons for Jackson State, where he threw for an impressive 70 touchdowns compared to 14 interceptions. All four seasons of his college career were played under his head coach and father, NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Shedeur Sanders

Now that Sanders has been drafted, fans may be wondering what to expect from their new quarterback. NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein provided his analysis of the dynamic quarterback from Colorado.

Lance Zierlein: “Any perceptions that Sanders is a product of Heisman Trophy-winner Travis Hunter’s greatness are slowly dispelled once you hit the tape. He’s seen mixed results under an intensely bright spotlight, but there are no signs his confidence has ever wavered.

“Sanders possesses a baseline of poise, savvy and accuracy, traits that are integral in becoming an NFL starter. He’s slow-twitch with standard arm talent and a longer release, but he worked around those limitations with anticipation and accuracy. He plays with decent command from the pocket and finds his rhythm when working on-time and on-platform; that said, he will pass on profits and look for the big play too often. Average velocity and slower rip times mean tighter windows against faster athletes, so throwing off-platform or trying to do more than his arm talent allows is ill-advised. He’s tough and willing to take the hit to complete the throw once he’s locked into his target.

“Sanders is pocket mobile and finds clean alternate launch points, but he often creates pressure and sacks with undisciplined pocket drops. The tape says he has the necessary qualities to become a solid game manager if he can operate with better discipline and play to his strengths.”