The buzz about the Cleveland Browns being in on Shedeur Sanders turned out to be just that — buzz. Sanders, once projected to go as high as No. 2 overall, is still on the board after three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Browns Shock the NFL by Drafting Dillon Gabriel Over Shedeur Sanders
PFSN’s Ian Cummings didn’t see this coming, and he feels as though the Browns blew it. “The Cleveland Browns finally addressed the quarterback position in late Day 2 – but it wasn’t the QB many expected. Instead of ending Shedeur Sanders’ slide, the Browns dropped jaws with their selection of Dillon Gabriel as an alternative,” Cummings wrote.
“Gabriel was a record-setting collegiate quarterback, but he shouldn’t have been worth consideration so early in the draft, for a Browns team that could still stand to invest in WR, offensive line, or EDGE talent,” Cummings reasons.
“Gabriel is small and has a below-average arm, is volatile operationally, and likely profiles as a backup at best. Even if the Browns didn’t have Sanders on their board, Will Howard would’ve been a much better value pick here. Grade: D-.”
Sanders’ slide is surprising — but maybe not totally out of the blue. Pre-draft talk focused on concerns about his attitude in team interviews and whether he’s coachable since he’s only played for his dad. But still, being passed over twice and then again for Gabriel raised eyebrows.
Gabriel had a solid college run, but PFSN pegged him as a late-Day 3 prospect, not a third-rounder. And the Browns passed up on Will Howard, too — the national title winner who completed 71.4% of his passes for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns at Ohio State.
Once seen as a likely top-three pick, Sanders is now staring at a Day 3 selection — if he’s picked at all. All six teams with clear QB needs have already filled those spots.
There may still be a silver lining. Teams with aging quarterbacks and supportive coaching staffs could offer Sanders a shot.
The Las Vegas Raiders have picks No. 108 and 135. Geno Smith is locked in for now, but he turns 35 this year. And it’s not like Pete Carroll didn’t once develop a young Russell Wilson. Smith would also be a strong mentor — he’s lived through his own career reset.
Another intriguing landing spot: the Los Angeles Rams at No. 127. Matthew Stafford, now 37, is operating year-to-year. Head coach Sean McVay has a rep for rehabbing QB careers. He gave Baker Mayfield a crash course in 2022 that helped him get back on track in Tampa, Fla. Sanders could benefit from a similar setup in one of the league’s most player-friendly environments.
Sanders’ fall is dramatic, but that doesn’t mean the net won’t show up.
