Shedeur Sanders’ Incredible NFL Debut Puts Pressure On 2 Rookie Quarterbacks originally appeared on The Spun.
Shedeur Sanders was so good in his preseason debut that NFL fans are already wondering if the Cleveland Browns got the steal of the draft.
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Sanders, the 144th overall pick from this year’s draft, got the start this Friday against the Carolina Panthers primarily due to injuries. Kenny Pickett and Dillon Gabriel have been battling hamstring tightness in training camp. When one door closes, another opens. Luckily for Sanders, he took full advantage of his opportunity.
Despite not receiving many reps with Cleveland’s first-team offense in training camp, Sanders completed 14-of-23 passes on Friday for 138 yards with two touchdowns. It’s the type of performance that’ll put pressure on other quarterbacks from the 2025 NFL Draft.
In fact, NFL fans are already saying New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart has to match Sanders’ preseason success.
The Giants traded back into the first round to select Dart with the 25th overall pick. Some fans thought they’d take Sanders at that spot. Obviously, that wasn’t the case.
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“Shedeur Sanders making some big-time NFL throws tonight. Your move, Jaxson Dart,” Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post said.
“Turn your eyes #Giants fans. Shedeur Sanders with his 2nd TD of the night showing perfect timing going right back to Kaden Davis,” NFL insider Josina Anderson wrote on X.
“Knowing this fan base, patience is already out the window forJaxson Dart,” one fan wrote commented.
Aug 4, 2025; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) on the field during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn ImagesVincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.
For what it’s worth, Dart isn’t the only rookie quarterback who’ll be feeling the pressure this week.
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NFL fans are also crushing the New Orleans Saints for using the 40th overall pick on Tyler Shough instead of Sanders.
“Saints really took Tyler Shough when they had Shedeur on the board,” one fan said.
“Fair or unfair. This game by Shedeur Sanders is going to put a huge target on the back of Tyler Shough. And all Saints fans know why,” Saints podcaster Timothy Jones said.
“While first round was a bit overzealous, Shedeur was always a 2nd-3rd round talent and him going after Tyler Shough and Dillion Gabriel is politics,” another fan said.
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Shough will make his NFL preseason debut on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. He’ll be the second quarterback on the depth chart behind Spencer Rattler.
May 10, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough (6) during rookie minicamp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
If Dart and Shough struggle this weekend, there’ll be plenty of NFL fans claiming the Giants and Saints made mistakes passing up on Sanders.
At the end of the day, it’s way too early to tell if Sanders will be a true franchise quarterback. Even he’s unwilling to declare himself as a starter in this league.
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“I don’t feel like I was sharp at all, honestly,” Sanders said after his debut, Huntley, via Cleveland.com. “I think I was OK today, but you know, the next opportunity I get I just, you know, got to build on this one.”
NFL fans should just be patient and let these rookies develop. Will they though? We doubt it.
Shedeur Sanders’ Incredible NFL Debut Puts Pressure On 2 Rookie Quarterbacks first appeared on The Spun on Aug 9, 2025
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.