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The Cleveland Browns had one of the most-discussed drafts, not just of 2025, but in recent NFL history after taking Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round after taking Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round. This came after the Browns traded out of the No. 2 overall pick, which the Jacksonville Jaguars used to draft Travis Hunter. The Browns made several noteworthy picks, including Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins. However, Bryce Lazenby of Newsweek labeled Sanders as the team's best pick of the weekend.
"It's easy to identify the best pick the Browns made," Lazenby writes. "Any time you can get a potential starting quarterback in the fifth round, it has to be considered a great value. Shedeur Sanders' fall is perhaps the most shocking draft slide in NFL history. Entering the draft, most evaluators had Sanders as QB2 or QB3 in this class, but nobody had him going lower than the second round. In 2024, Sanders threw for 4,134 yards with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The quarterback led all FBS passers with a 74.0% completion percentage and ended his college career with the best all-time completion percentage. Still, several quarterbacks were taken ahead of Sanders, including Dillon Gabriel, who the Browns selected in the third round. From a football perspective, Sanders could end up being the best value pick from this entire draft class."
No one expected Sanders' unprecedented fall. Even if some thought he didn't deserve to be a first-round pick, no one thought he would slip all the way into the fifth round. Lo and behold, the Browns took him to end a draft slide that will be talked about forever.
In a quarterback room that features Sanders, Gabriel, Joe Flacco, and Kenny Pickett, Sanders will have an uphill battle to fight as a fifth-round pick to earn the starting job.
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