Even before he set foot in Berea as the Cleveland Browns’ fifth round draft pick from the 2025 NFL Draft, Shedeur Sanders has been commanding a ton of attention nationwide.

After all, the son of a very outspoken Hall of Fame football player-turned-coach — Deion Sanders — became the talk of the draft, when he slid all the way down to the 144th overall pick after being regarded by many as the top passer available.

While some have pointed towards such a high media profile as one of the reasons why he slid so far down the selection order, Sanders isn’t done when it comes to taking over the limelight, whether it be because the Browns refused to play for most of the season, his play on the field once his opportunity arrived, or his off-the-field personality, public attention is always gravitating towards Sanders.

And now, it’s a global phenomenon.

According to Google Trends, Sanders was the third most searched athlete worldwide in 2025, trailing only boxer Terence Crawford and golfer Rory McIlroy in the Top-3. In the United States, however, nobody beat Sanders, who came in first above Crawford and Cooper Flagg.

Sanders’ popularity has seen a rise recently, according to Google Trends, as the 23-year old quarterback has started for the Browns during their last three matches. A recent spike in searches starting in mid-November coincides with his NFL debut, when he came in as a substitute for fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, taken out of a November 16th game due to a concussion. Sanders hasn’t left the role since, and was recently appointed the starter for the remainder of the season.

However, Sanders’ biggest search numbers came during the final days of April, leading up to and during the NFL Draft, when he was passed over multiple times by all 32 teams until the Browns plucked him in the fifth round. Sanders was almost universally considered a first-round prospect, with some observers claiming he was the best quarterback available.

Sanders No. 12 Browns’ jersey quickly became one of the league’s best selling jerseys, and the top-selling rookie jersey, after the draft.

Sanders wasn’t alone among NFL players in the Top-10 most googled athletes in 2025 for the U.S. New York Giants’ running back Cam Skattebo (fourth), Green Bay Packers’ edge rusher Micah Parsons (fifth), Giants’ quarterback Jaxson Dart (sixth), and Sanders’ brother Shilo Sanders (eighth) also made the Top-10. Of those players, only Parsons isn’t a rookie, while Shilo Sanders — a safety — currently doesn’t have an NFL team after being signed as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and subsequently being waived as part of the final roster cuts.

On the worldwide stage, though, it’s Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts (fifth), New England Patriots’ wideout Stefon Diggs (ninth) and Skattebo joining Sanders in the Top-10 most googled athletes of 2025.