The general opinion from many people in the media was that Shedeur Sanders fell hard during the 2025 NFL Draft. Once projected as a first-round pick, the polarizing Colorado quarterback dropped all the way down to the fifth round before the Cleveland Browns scooped Sanders up at pick 144.
It seemed to be a tragic fall when it happened on draft night, only maybe everything played out how it was supposed to.
Ex-NFL Executive Andrew Brandt Explains ‘Disconnect’ Over Shedeur Sanders
Andrew Brandt has been around the NFL for virtually his entire professional career. Holding top-level positions in the front offices of the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles as a salary-cap expert, he has negotiated countless NFL contracts. That is to say, Brandt knows everyone.
Recently, Brandt jumped on the “Ross Tucker Podcast” to share his thoughts on Sanders’ surprising plunge down the draft board. Spoiler alert, Sanders was picked right where he was supposed to be picked.
Brandt explained: “I’m not a source guy, but people are texting me this … the disconnect between how the media saw Shedeur Sanders and how many NFL teams saw Shedeur Sanders was as big as we’ve ever seen in the history of the draft. Get it? That’s the story.”
“There’s no story that he fell. The story is that he was picked where everyone in the NFL thought he would be picked. And when he was picked, I got a couple of texts where the basic message, in so many words, was: ‘That’s about right. Fifth round. That’s about right.'”
"People are texting me this unsolicited. The disconnect between how the media saw Shedeur Sanders and how NFL teams saw Shedeur Sanders was as big as we've ever seen in the history of the draft."@AndrewBrandt shares what people within the NFL have told him about the Browns new… pic.twitter.com/ypQ5i4xXRo
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod)
Further, Brandt clarified that Sanders shouldn’t be labeled a bust or a fraud. His story remains unwritten.
“Now, Shedeur Sanders is not a bust,” Brandt said. “He’s not an undrafted guy. He’s not a guy who you would be surprised if he gets drafted. But he’s not a high-round pick, and that’s what I was being told all the time.”
Sanders Reports to Cleveland, Ready for Browns Rookie Minicamp
If Sanders is feeling any stress or disappointment over being drafted in the fifth round, well, he’s not showing it. The 23-year-old quarterback boarded the first flight he could for Cleveland, showing his willingness to be a team player and swallow his pride ahead of the Browns’ rookie minicamp on May 9.
Sanders can be seen running hills and doing lunges in a video post shared by We Coming. It should be an interesting summer for the Browns, who suddenly have a crowded quarterbacks room.
In addition to Sanders, they drafted Dillon Gabriel in the third round (94th overall). Cleveland also traded for veteran Kenny Pickett and signed Joe Flacco in free agency. Deshaun Watson remains on the roster, although he’s expected to miss the entire 2025 campaign.
