Finally: Browns End Shedeur Sanders’ Slide in Fifth Round of 2025 NFL Draft

It took far longer than anyone expected, but Shedeur Sanders finally heard his name called on Saturday during the 2025 NFL Draft. The Cleveland Browns selected the former Colorado quarterback with the sixth pick of the fifth round (No. 144 overall), ending one of the biggest draft slides in recent memory.

Sanders, once considered a potential first- or second-round talent, had been passed over for more than 140 selections. Many analysts, including NFL.com’s Eric Edholm, had projected Sanders to the Browns on Day 2. Instead, Cleveland waited until early in Day 3 to make their move.

Ironically, Sanders is not even the first quarterback the Browns selected this draft — Cleveland also took Dillon Gabriel out of Oregon in the third round. With Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett already on the roster, the Browns now find themselves with a crowded and unpredictable quarterback room.

How the competition will shake out is anyone’s guess. Flacco offers veteran leadership, Pickett is still trying to revive his young career, Gabriel brings mobility and upside, and Sanders — despite his tumble — arrives with the same polished arm and poise that made him a star at Colorado.

For Sanders, the slide might sting now, but Cleveland could offer a valuable opportunity. With no entrenched long-term starter in place, the door is wide open for him to carve out a role and prove doubters wrong.

Most importantly for Sanders: the long, painful wait is finally over.