Shedeur Sanders gets picked by Cleveland Browns in 5th round of NFL draft, finally ending his long wait

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Shedeur Sanders’ wait finally has ended.

The Cleveland Browns made a surprising choice in the NFL draft by selecting the Colorado quarterback, the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, in the fifth round as the 144th overall pick on Saturday. It marked a significant drop for Sanders, who was one of the most well-known players in this year’s draft due to his remarkable college career.

Leading up to the draft, Sanders was often ranked second among quarterbacks in his class, just behind Miami’s Cam Ward, who was the first overall pick by the Tennessee Titans. However, Sanders fell behind five other quarterbacks who were selected before him, including Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel who was picked by the Browns in the third round.

The headline of this draft revolved around the unexpected situation of the Colorado standout. Despite being a prominent figure, Sanders did not hear his name called in the first round on Thursday, nor in the subsequent second and third rounds on Friday.

Sanders remained optimistic Saturday while providing an update on social media.

“Another day another opportunity to get a chance to play the game I love,” he said in an X post Saturday morning. “Thank you GOD #LEGENDARY.”

Sanders now is suddenly part of a crowded Browns quarterback room as Deshaun Watson sits out the upcoming season with a torn Achilles tendon. Sanders and Gabriel join Kenny Pickett and 40-year-old Joe Flacco.

The history of the draft includes plenty of stories of quarterbacks waiting much longer than expected to get drafted. Sometimes it ultimately worked out just fine for them.

Dan Marino was the sixth quarterback taken in the famous 1983 draft class and went 27th overall to Miami, where he would spend his entire Hall of Fame career. Aaron Rodgers was supposed to go among the first few picks in 2005 but went 24th to Green Bay, where he went on to win four MVP awards. More recently, Will Levis was considered a near-certain first-round pick in 2023 but slipped into the second round before Tennessee took him at No. 33 overall.

But it’s hard to come up with a fall as steep as this one.

Sanders was one of the most recognizable names in college football the last couple of years while teaming up with 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter – taken second overall by Jacksonville – and playing for his father.

He finished eighth in the Heisman balloting last season while throwing for a school-record 4,134 yards and helping Colorado go 9-4. The Buffaloes had gone 4-8 in Sanders’ first season there in 2023 after he spent two years playing for his dad at Jackson State.

Most forecasts heading into the draft had Sanders going much sooner.

That’s now how it’s turned out.

The New York Giants traded up to get the 25th pick on Thursday but opted for Mississippi’s Jaxson Dart. Three other quarterbacks went Friday. New Orleans selected Louisville’s Tyler Shough in the second round. In the third round, Seattle chose Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Cleveland took Gabriel.

One criticism of Sanders was the fact that he was sacked 94 times the last two seasons at Colorado. Concerns also arose about his arm strength. There also were worries about how he would adapt to playing for someone other than his father.

Earlier Saturday, some other familiar names got taken.

Cam Skattebo, the versatile running back who led Arizona State to a surprising College Football Playoff appearance, went in the fourth round to the New York Giants with the 105th overall pick. Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson, the 2024 Southeastern Conference offensive player of the year, went 126th to Indianapolis.

Three more players from Ohio State were selected in the fourth round, meaning 10 players from the reigning national champions have now been drafted. Linebacker Cody Simon went 115th to Arizona, safety Lathan Ransom 122nd to Carolina and edge rusher Jack Sawyer 123rd to Pittsburgh.

The final day of the draft also featured the trade of a quarterback, as Seattle sent Sam Howell and its fifth-round pick (No. 172 overall) to Minnesota for the Vikings’ fifth-round selection (No. 142). Seattle then used the No. 142 pick on Notre Dame defensive tackle Rylie Mills.