Browns commerce up, choose QB Shedeur Sanders in fifth spherical of NFL draft

The Cleveland Browns ended Shedeur Sanders‘ stunning slide on Day 3 of the NFL draft Saturday, making him the second quarterback they chose this weekend.

The Browns traded up with the Seattle Seahawks to pick Sanders with the 144th general choose within the fifth spherical Saturday. Cleveland gave Seattle its 166th and 192nd picks.

After being chosen, Sanders posted to X: “Thanks GOD.”

Shilo and Shedeur dancing after Shedeur received drafted by the Cleveland Browns.

(through shilosanders/Twitch) pic.twitter.com/qPrVXCoF4c

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2025

“I might say I am extraordinarily grateful for the chance all through all the pieces,” Sanders stated throughout a convention name with native reporters. “I do not ever deal with the adverse and even take into consideration the adverse as a result of the constructive occurred so quick and it is a change of feelings. For me, it was simply taking part in quarterback. That is what it is about. You’ll be able to’t be up, too low or something. You bought to have the ability to rejoice. And after we rating a landing, we rejoice for slightly bit. Now, it is again to, time to work, it is time to go.”

The Browns have been linked to Sanders after spending in depth time with him all through the draft course of however handed on him a number of occasions. Cleveland traded again with the Jacksonville Jaguars from its No. 2 slot to No. 5, getting a commerce bundle that included the thirty sixth choose (which the workforce used on working again Quinshon Judkins) and a 2026 first-round choose. Cleveland chosen defensive sort out Mason Graham with the fifth general choose.

The Browns handed on Sanders once more on the finish of the third spherical, deciding on quarterback Dillon Gabriel with the 94th choose. When requested why the workforce did not choose Sanders, basic supervisor Andrew Berry on Friday evening famous that 4 rounds remained and that he remained impressed with Sanders. A workforce supply stated that regardless of the choose of Gabriel, Sanders remained on the workforce’s board.

Berry advised reporters Saturday that because the workforce entered Day 3, there have been discussions about presumably concentrating on Sanders if he continued to fall. Berry stated there was an early run on a few of the gamers whom the workforce had focused within the last rounds, and as Sanders continued to be obtainable, the choice to commerce up for him got here collectively shortly.

“We speak oftentimes about quarterback being a very powerful place within the sport,” Berry stated. “We clearly spent a variety of time with Shedeur all through the method. He is extremely correct, can play properly from the pocket, very productive faculty profession. And we felt prefer it wasn’t essentially the plan going into the weekend to pick two quarterbacks, however we do imagine in finest participant obtainable, we do imagine in positional worth. We did not essentially count on him to be obtainable within the fifth spherical. So, we love including competitors to each place room and including him to compete with guys which might be already in there, we felt like that was the suitable factor to do.”

Berry later stated: “As soon as it received to a degree the place it felt prefer it was a fairly steep low cost, we simply felt like, particularly relative to the choice ways in which we might use this choice, this made essentially the most sense.”

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski stated earlier within the week that each participant within the quarterback room will compete to be the starter. This offseason, the Browns acquired Kenny Pickett in a commerce with the Philadelphia Eagles and signed Joe Flacco in free company. Deshaun Watson is predicted to overlook a good portion of the 2025 season after retearing his proper Achilles tendon.

For the reason that franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999, quarterback stability has escaped the Browns. Forty completely different quarterbacks have began for the workforce throughout that span, 10 greater than the next-closest workforce. Sanders joins a reshaped quarterback room with a chance to compete for a beginning function early.

Throughout the draft course of and as Sanders slid into Day 3, reviews and rumors surfaced about how his persona and celeb upbringing because the son of Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer and Colorado soccer coach Deion Sanders might have deterred groups. Berry, although, stated the workforce had constructive interactions with Shedeur and felt snug with him as a person.

“We felt good with him as an individual,” Berry stated. “He works exhausting, he is a very good child, he desires to be nice. His teammates cherished him at Colorado, and I do know he’ll are available in right here able to work, able to attempt to put his finest foot ahead in all areas of competitors.”

When requested if the best way he dealt with his predraft interviews might have performed a job in his fall, Sanders stated, “I feel what occurred was I had an excellent interview and nice course of with the Browns and that is why they have been in a position to choose me. So, something outdoors the group is mostly a nonfactor to me now as a result of that is my focus and that is the place my thoughts is, is doing all the pieces I can to make this workforce higher. So, all the pieces outdoors of that, the opinions do not actually matter.”

Throughout the predraft course of, the Browns met with Sanders on the East-West Shrine Bowl and once more on the NFL scouting mix. Cleveland additionally hosted Sanders on a go to after which a big contingent traveled to Boulder, Colorado, to have dinner with him and two-way star Travis Hunter the evening earlier than their professional day exercise.

“The individuals, they have been real. It was actual cool,” Sanders stated of his go to to the Browns’ facility in March. “So, I left that go to understanding that if that was the place for me, I might really feel actual snug with what they’ve in place.”

A four-year starter in faculty — Sanders spent his first two seasons at FCS Jackson State, taking part in for his father earlier than transferring to Colorado to observe him — Sanders led the FBS with a 74% completion fee final season, and his 37 passing touchdowns have been second most within the FBS. A second-team All-American choice, Sanders was named the 2024 Huge 12 Offensive Participant of the 12 months and received the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award because the nation’s high upperclassman quarterback.

Sanders was the sixth quarterback taken within the draft, following Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Tyler Shough, Jalen Milroe and Gabriel.

“The principle factor I am simply proving,” Sanders stated, “I am simply proving Coach Stefanski and Mr. Berry that they are proper, that they are proper about selecting me. That I am an excellent choice, that I am an excellent draft choose for them.”

Sanders wasn’t the one of Deion Sanders’ sons to land an NFL job Saturday. Undrafted Colorado security Shilo Sanders signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a supply advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter.