Shedeur Sanders led the Cleveland Browns to a 24-10 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in his first game as a starter. As the rookie quarterback sets himself up for his second NFL start on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, Sanders is already drawing big comparisons — to an AFC North rival, Joe Burrow.
Analyst Emory Hunt Compares Shedeur Sanders to Joe Burrow
After just two NFL games, Sanders has impressed enough to be likened to another AFC North quarterback. CBS Sports analyst Emory Hunt said Sanders shares one “elite trait” with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Burrow.
“He [Sanders] and Joe Burrow share the same elite trait that I love about quarterbacks and then he [Danny Kannel] kind of touched on it with Jalen Hurts, is the fact that they have the ‘IT factor,'” Hunt said.
“You couldn’t tell if they’re up 20, down 20, but you know you want the ball in their hands when the chance to go win the game, they’ll come through.”
Hunt also noted a downside to the comparison. “Now, the negative side of the Joe Burrow comp is what we’ve seen play out in college and also in the NFL for both guys. We’ve seen them take some monumental sacks, and there lies the Burrow comp.”
🔥 Shedeur. Emory & Danny Believe in #12. Wrists Up 💛
Danny : “I am not a hater. I’m a realist”
Emory : “He and Burrow share the same elite trait. They have that IT factor” https://t.co/pcp92SoQPh pic.twitter.com/86q9YXbDE7
— JaKi 🇺🇸 (@JaKiTruth) November 28, 2025
Sanders went 11-of-20 for 209 yards, with one touchdown and one interception in the win over the Raiders. He was graded C- in PFSN’s Quarterback Impact (QBi) rating with a 72.8 score, ranking him as the 15th best QB in Week 12.
The Browns improved to 3-8 with the rookie and showed more life on offense as he stepped in for the injured Dillon Gabriel.
Sanders Humble After Impressive NFL Debut As Starter
Sanders has also spoken about the motivation that continues to drive him. He hasn’t forgotten how draft night unfolded, when he slipped to the fifth round as the 144th overall pick despite projections placing him in the early rounds after his standout career at Colorado.
“I got skipped by everybody — at least 5 times,” Sanders said. “I still got an opportunity to play, so why can I be mad? Money’s different, thankfully I got a good family.”
Powerful: Browns star rookie QB Shedeur Sanders talks about every team passing on him in the draft.
“I got skipped by everybody—at least 5 times. I still got an opportunity to play, so why can I be mad? Money’s different, thankfully I got a good family.”
Shedeur was clearly… pic.twitter.com/96pocsZsVh
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 28, 2025
Although Hunt has remained consistent regarding Sanders, the CBS Sports analyst had maintained the Burrow link well before the 2025 NFL Draft, pointing to Sanders’ strengths as a passer.
“Touch, timing, accuracy, anticipation. He has all of those things. All the nots on Shedeur Sanders: not overly athletic, doesn’t have the strongest arms, and not real big, sounds a lot to me like a guy that went first overall in Joe Burrow,” Hunt had said.
While Sanders wasn’t selected in the first round or anywhere near No. 1, he has already climbed into a starting role and could make several teams regret passing on him with each performance.