NFL team Cleveland Browns select Shedeur Sanders in fifth round of draft.

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Shedeur Sanders

Three days past his predicted time, the buzzing name in the 2025 NFL draft finally echoed the big announcement.

Hailing from Colorado, Shedeur Sanders was snagged by the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, the 144th pick in the fifth round. The Browns wielded a crafty maneuver, relinquishing the 166th and 192nd overall picks to the Philadelphia Eagles to claim the elusive No. 144 spot.

Sanders became the sixth quarterback selected in this year's draft, with the Browns adding Oregon's Dillon Gabriel on Friday, in the third round's late hours.

The Browns' roster currently holds three seasoned quarterbacks: DeShaun Watson (temporarily sidelined and unavailable for 2025), the recently acquired Kenny Pickett, and the venerable Super Bowl champion, Joe Flacco, now forty.

Sanders, named AP's second-team All-American quarterback last season, received a special honor with his number retired by Colorado. Anticipating a whirlwind of learning his new team during the first round, he found himself instead making his way to rookie camp, down the pecking order, and parting ways with his Hall of Fame father, Deion Sanders, as his coach for the first time in nearly a decade.

Deion Sanders had previously served as his son's offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian School in Cedar Park, Texas. But prior to Shedeur's freshman year of college, Deion was appointed as Jackson State's head coach. Their dynamic duo spent the 2021-22 seasons there before moving to Colorado for Deion's role as the Buffaloes' coach in 2023.

Over the course of his four-year college career that spanned 50 games, Shedeur Sanders managed an impressive success rate by completing 70.1 percent of his passes for a grand total of 14,347 yards, with 134 touchdowns and just 27 interceptions.

Career Stats Snapshot

Shedeur Sanders' college football tenure spanned four seasons, first at Jackson State, later at Colorado. Here are the facts and figures:

Games: 50
Pass Completion: 1,267 out of 1,808 (70.1%)
Passing Yards: 14,347
Touchdowns: 134
Interceptions: 27
Rushing Touchdowns: 17
Quarterback Rating: 160.4

Noteworthy accomplishments include setting Colorado records for single-season passing yards (4,134 in 2024) and completion percentage (74% in 2024)[1][3][4].

Draft Day Surprises

Selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders' fifth-round placement surprised many, considering his stellar college performance. Some analysts were equally taken aback by his delayed selection, while others initially questioned his early departure from the draft[2].

The Cleveland Browns, with their crafty maneuver, drafted Shedeur Sanders, the quarterback from Colorado, in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, picking him at the 144th spot.
Sanders' selection made him the sixth quarterback chosen in this year's draft, joining Oregon's Dillon Gabriel, who was picked by the Browns in the third round.
With Sanders' addition, the Browns now have three seasoned quarterbacks on their roster: DeShaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, and Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco.
Sanders, who was named AP's second-team All-American quarterback last season, found himself at rookie camp instead of working alongside his father, Deion Sanders, who was his coach for nearly a decade.
Deion Sanders had served as Shedeur's offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian School in Cedar Park, Texas, before moving to Jackson State as the head coach.
In the 2021-22 seasons, the father-son duo spent time at Jackson State, then moved to Colorado for Deion's role as the Buffaloes' coach in 2023.
During his college career, Sanders managed an impressive success rate, completing 70.1 percent of his passes for a total of 14,347 yards, with 134 touchdowns and just 27 interceptions.
Despite his impressive college statistics, Sanders' selection in the fifth round surprised many, with some analysts questioning his early departure from the draft.