In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns made headlines by selecting two quarterbacks: Dillon Gabriel from Oregon in the third round (94th overall) and Shedeur Sanders from Colorado in the fifth round (144th overall).
This move was unexpected, especially considering the team’s existing quarterback roster, which included Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, and Kenny Pickett.
Why Draft a Player You Repeatedly Passed On? Andrew Berry Explains
Browns’ GM Andrew Berry talked to Pro Football Talk about the unorthodox draft strategy. The Browns traded the Seahawks their 166th and 192nd picks to move up in the fifth round to select Sanders.
“Shedeur, we talk often about quarterback being the most important position in the sport,” Berry said. “We felt like it wasn’t necessarily the plan going into the weekend to select two quarterbacks, but we do believe in best player available, we do believe in positional value, and we didn’t necessarily expect him to be available in the fifth round.”
Speaking to that positional value, he told PFT, “He was a good, solid prospect at the most important position. We felt like it got to a point where he was probably mis-priced relative to the draft.”
“The acquisition cost was pretty light, and it’s a guy that we think can out-produce his draft slot. So I wouldn’t say it’s any more than that. . . . I may hesitate to characterize it as a blockbuster, that’s not necessarily how we thought of the transaction, but we are excited to work with him.”
Signs that Shedeur Sanders might fall out of the first round began to emerge after the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine. Reports surfaced that Sanders came across as unprofessional during team interviews, with some speculating he may have deliberately sabotaged meetings with teams he wasn’t interested in.
Sanders’ biggest strength is his accuracy, with a 70.1% career completion rate coupled with exceptional poise and field vision. His weaknesses are his arm strength and attitude issues, which were cited after his pre-draft interviews. There are also questions surrounding his ability to adapt to complex NFL offenses.
Gabriel is a dual-threat talent who had 1,209 rushing yards and 34 rushing touchdowns in his collegiate career. Most pre-draft analyses pegged him as a developmental project, but he’s a seasoned quarterback with a wealth of high-end college experience.
Sanders offers significant upside with his accuracy and on-field leadership, but he will have to win over critics both inside and outside the Browns’ facility. Now that the draft is over, the real competition begins as Gabriel and Sanders enter a QB competition room that includes former first-round pick Kenny Pickett and long-time veteran Joe Flacco.
