Shedeur Sanders was the talk of the NFL Draft cycle as his slide on draft weekend was a big surprise. While the top prospects were selected during the first two days, it was a mystery to some fans and executives why Sanders had not yet heard his name called until day three. From being mocked as the potential top pick around the NFL Scouting Combine to eventually being selected in the fifth round, it was quite a shock.
For some, though, it was evident that Sanders may not have been ready to be an NFL quarterback. NFL insider Albert Breer spoke about why Sanders didn’t see any reps with the starters during offseason workouts in Cleveland.
Albert Breer Says Shedeur Sanders Still Has A Lot to Learn
Sanders did not see any first-team reps during his first practices with the team. It was apparent that he was at the bottom of the depth chart and needed a lot to learn before being allowed to play with the starters. It is not surprising that he would not be as knowledgeable as veteran Joe Flacco or even Kenny Pickett, but Breer reports that he was also behind fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.
“He had a bigger learning curve than Dillon Gabriel. There were teams that were stunned by how little Shedeur knew relative to what they thought. He was pretty far behind,” said Breer on Sanders.
Albert Breer was on 92.3 The Fan and discussed why the Browns didn’t give Shedeur Sanders any first-team reps during the spring.
“I think Shedeur—and this isn’t any fault of his own—had a lot more ground to cover than Dillon Gabriel. Because of that, it’s harder to put him out… pic.twitter.com/2wGO4DspSb
— The Dawgs – A Cleveland Browns Podcast (@thedawgspodcast) June 18, 2025
With teams worried about Sanders’ knowledge, it’s not nearly as much of a surprise that he slipped to the fifth round. Cleveland believes in Sanders and has made it their goal to keep developing him.
According to Cleveland beat reporters, Gabriel is the rookie QB who is getting first-team reps over Sanders. This is an indication of where Sanders stands in his learning curve, as Gabriel is being afforded quality reps with the starters while Sanders is stuck developing on the side.
While Sanders had a lot to learn, he did show out during his opportunities. He was the most efficient QB during the offseason workouts for the Browns. While he wasn’t going against the best players the Browns can throw at him, it’s encouraging that Sanders was able to prove that he belongs and has the intangibles to succeed at the NFL level.
The benefit for Sanders is that he gets a plethora of reps with the players deeper in the depth chart, while Flacco, Pickett, and Gabriel are splitting reps with the first-team players. He’s making the most of his chances right now and could see himself climb up the depth chart once training camp rolls around in about a month.