At this point, Shedeur Sanders’ NFL Draft slide is common knowledge in American sports. Most sports fans know that Sanders started at the top of the pecking order in January and slid deep into Day 3 in defiance of all projections.
However, with the shock starting to fade away, the next question is where the fifth-round quarterback goes from here. One former Chargers and Bills linebacker saw the positive takeaway from Sanders’ nightmarish draft result.
Shawne Merriman Claims Shedeur Sanders “Can’t Lose”
Speaking on a May 5 edition of “Up and Adams,” former Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman claimed the slide was a blessing in disguise for the new Cleveland Browns rookie.
Shawne Merriman believes Shedeur Sanders slipping to the fifth round is the best thing to happen to him 👀
"He's going to be the starter at some point… He can't lose."@heykayadams | @shawnemerriman pic.twitter.com/uLhZnZErGW
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) May 5, 2025
“He can’t see it now, but him slipping [to where] he slipped to might have been the best thing that has ever happened to him, because when he ends up being a starter, because he is, he’s going to be the starter at some point. I don’t know [at] what point during the season he will be the starter,” he said.
“The expectations now. … The weight is off his shoulders. So now everything he’s going to do from this point on, if he turns out to be a starter. … even if he turns out to be a top 10 quarterback, it’s a win. I feel that right now. Shedeur Sanders is in this position where he can’t lose,” he added.
Of course, the flip side is that as a fifth-round quarterback, Sanders could also be only one bad day away from finding himself looking for another team as soon as this offseason. The Browns’ quarterback room is at capacity, and fifth-round quarterbacks don’t always get to see Week 1.
Sanders’ Slip Comes With One More Bonus
Of course, one aspect that worked out beautifully for Sanders was that while he slid, he still ended up where he had mentally prepared to go all along. Dillon Gabriel, for instance, had no clear-cut indication of where he would be going. As such, he had no choice but to spread his preparations across 32 teams.
Sanders had plenty of reason to focus on the Browns before any other teams. As such, by going to Cleveland anyway, his preparation likely has given him a leg up on perhaps any other quarterback on the roster, who previously had no indication they would be with the team they landed with.
That, coupled with a newfound reason to prove the league wrong after a statistically impressive college output in 2024, could be lightning in a bottle that the Browns now have for almost free in terms of draft capital.
Will the Sanders draft-slide story be the opening chapter to a legendary career?