The story of the 2025 NFL Draft was Shedeur Sanders’ historic fall to the fifth round. The former Colorado quarterback was in the first overall pick discussion, but had to wait until Day 3 to hear his name called.
One of his former teammates, and current Baltimore Ravens receiver, LaJohntay Wester, recently stood up for his college quarterback and expects big things from him in 2025.
Shedeur Sanders Expected To Win Starting QB Job by Former Teammate
For better or worse, Sanders was the face of the 2025 NFL Draft. He reportedly rubbed teams the wrong way at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine with his “unprofessional” demeanor, but was still highly rated in many mock drafts.
However, what draft experts thought of Sanders and what NFL teams thought of Sanders differed greatly. He fell to the fifth round and was the second quarterback taken by the Cleveland Browns.
Sanders’ on-field production spoke for itself. He threw for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns while leading FBS with a 74.0% completion rate in 2024. Concerns about his arm strength and average athleticism made him fall out of the first round, and issues with his handling of the pre-draft process led him to be a Day 3 pick.
He’ll now have to prove himself in a crowded quarterback room that includes Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, and fellow 2025 draft pick Dillon Gabriel. The Browns traded for Pickett and signed Flacco in free agency. The veterans are expected to compete for the starting job, but it’s unclear if the team will keep both after final cuts.
Sanders’ first NFL objective is to beat out Gabriel, but Wester thinks his 2025 ceiling is much higher. Wester sat down for an interview with Baltimore’s team website, and ProFootballTalk’s Michael David Smith recently wrote about Wester’s comments.
Ravens rookie LaJohntay Wester on his Colorado teammate Shedeur Sanders' draft fall: "I was disappointed that they did him like that. I know Shedeur is going to get in the lab. He's going to work hard and he's going to win that job in Cleveland." https://t.co/ZJAiVO0iy0
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) May 5, 2025
Wester said, “I was disappointed that they did him like that. I know Shedeur is going to get in the lab. He’s going to work hard and he’s going to win that job in Cleveland.” Wester played with Sanders for one year at Colorado after four seasons at Florida Atlantic. He posted 74 catches, 931 yards, and 10 touchdowns in 2024, and famously caught a hail mary from Sanders against Baylor.
The receiver was overshadowed by Travis Hunter, but carved out a role in Colorado’s offense. Baltimore drafted Wester in the sixth round.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper led the defense of Sanders during the draft broadcast. His uncomfortable argument with host Rece Davis went viral, but the quarterback has to prove Kiper right. The only problem is that Sanders is the fourth option in Cleveland’s QB room.
Many draft experts projected Gabriel as a late Day 3 pick and a career backup. The Browns seemingly disagreed, as it’s unlikely they’d waste a third-round pick on a backup quarterback. Gabriel finished his six-year college career throwing for 3,857 yards, 30 touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Fifth-round quarterbacks typically don’t see the field in their rookie year, but Wester thinks Sanders will win the starting job. The battle between Sanders and Gabriel begins at Cleveland’s rookie minicamp.