Draft forecasts generally rated Sanders behind only Miami\u2019s Cam Ward \u2014 who went first overall to the Tennessee Titans \u2014 among quarterbacks in this class. Five quarterbacks were taken before him instead, with one of them going to Cleveland when the Browns picked Oregon\u2019s Dillon Gabriel in the third round.<\/p>\n
After such a long delay, Sanders let out his emotions once he finally got the call a couple of days later than expected. In video shared on X by the NFL, he can be seen putting on a Browns cap after his name was announced and\u00a0performing a celebratory dance<\/a>\u00a0at his family\u2019s Texas home and\u00a0jumping into a swimming pool.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThank you GOD,\u201d Sanders said in an\u00a0X post.<\/a><\/p>\n Sanders now is suddenly part of a crowded Browns quarterback room as Deshaun Watson sits out the upcoming season with a torn Achilles tendon. Sanders and Gabriel join Kenny Pickett and 40-year-old Joe Flacco.<\/p>\n The Browns moved up to take Sanders, trading their own fifth-round pick (No. 166 overall) and a sixth-round selection (No. 192) to Seattle in exchange for the No. 144 pick.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you (to) the Browns organization for giving me a chance,\u201d Sanders said in\u00a0a video<\/a>\u00a0that was posted on the Browns\u2019 X account. \u201cThat\u2019s all I need.\u201d<\/p>\n The history of the draft includes plenty of stories of quarterbacks waiting much longer than expected to get drafted. Sometimes it ultimately worked out just fine for them.<\/p>\n Which quarterbacks have seen historic falls like Shedeur Sanders?<\/p>\n Dan Marino was the sixth quarterback taken in the famous 1983 draft class and went 27th overall to Miami, where he would spend his entire Hall of Fame career. Aaron Rodgers was supposed to go among the first few picks in 2005 but went 24th to Green Bay, where he went on to win four MVP awards. More recently,\u00a0Will Levis<\/a>\u00a0was considered a near-certain first-round pick in 2023 but slipped into the second round before Tennessee took him at No. 33 overall.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s hard to come up with a fall as steep as this one.<\/p>\n Sanders was one of the most recognizable names in college football the last couple of years while teaming up with\u00a02024 Heisman Trophy winner<\/a>\u00a0Travis Hunter \u2013 taken\u00a0second overall<\/a>\u00a0by Jacksonville \u2013 and playing for his father.<\/p>\n He finished eighth in the Heisman balloting last season while throwing for a school-record 4,134 yards and helping Colorado go 9-4. The Buffaloes had gone 4-8 in Sanders\u2019 first season there in 2023 after he spent two years playing for his dad at Jackson State.<\/p>\n Most forecasts heading into the draft had Sanders going much sooner.<\/p>\n That\u2019s now how it\u2019s turned out.<\/p>\n The New York Giants traded up to get the 25th pick on Thursday but opted for Mississippi\u2019s\u00a0Jaxson Dart.<\/a>\u00a0Three other quarterbacks went Friday. New Orleans selected Louisville\u2019s\u00a0Tyler Shough<\/a>\u00a0in the second round. In the third round, Seattle chose Alabama\u2019s\u00a0Jalen Milroe<\/a>\u00a0and Cleveland took Gabriel.<\/p>\n Gabriel was responsible for a Football Bowl Subdivision record 188 career total touchdowns during a six-year college career that also included stops at Central Florida and Oklahoma.<\/p>\n Even after taking Gabriel on Friday, Browns general manager Andrew Berry praised Sanders while replying to a question about the Colorado quarterback\u2019s surprising slide.<\/p>\n \u201cAll I can say is this,\u201d Berry said. \u201cThe time that we spent with Shedeur and what he\u2019s done throughout his college career is impressive. He\u2019s an impressive young man. He\u2019s a really good quarterback. Sometimes fit comes into play. I\u2019d also say this \u2014 there are three or four more rounds of the draft. It\u2019s less about where you get picked than what you do after you get picked. Getting to know him over the course of the spring, he has a ton of resolve. And I think he\u2019s going to find himself in a really good spot.\u201d<\/p>\n That spot ended up being with Berry\u2019s own team.<\/p>\n One criticism of Sanders was the fact that he was sacked 94 times the last two seasons at Colorado. Concerns also arose about his arm strength. There also were worries about how he would adapt to playing for someone other than his father.<\/p>\n Yet there also is plenty of reason to believe Sanders could succeed. Denver wasn\u2019t in need of a quarterback with Bo Nix coming off an exceptional rookie season, but Broncos coach Sean Payton offered a warning Friday as he discussed Sanders\u2019 surprising fall.<\/p>\n \u201cThere will be this chip on his shoulder and beware because this guy\u2019s going to play in this league,\u201d Payton said.<\/p>\n Some other familiar names also got taken Saturday.<\/p>\n
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