The Cleveland Browns raised some eyebrows when they selected quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the fifth-round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Questions arose about Sanders' ability and character in the days leading up to the event, causing the quarterback to plummet further than anyone expected.
A month after the draft, the Browns probably feel pretty good about that decision. Head coach Kevin Stefanski had nothing but good things to say when asked about how Sanders has adjusted to the NFL so far.
"He's in there early, he's getting his work done. He's working really, really hard," Stefanski told ESPN Cleveland. "I like everything there is about Shedeur."
Stefanski made that comment while discussing the Browns' other rookies. While he was complimentary about Sanders' work, it sounds like Stefanski was pleased with the way most of the team's draftees have performed thus far.
In Sanders' case, though, the compliment could carry extra weight. The Browns don't have the most talented quarterback depth chart, leaving room for Sanders to work his way into a starting role if he performs well.
The Browns brought in both Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett during the offseason, but neither player should present a massive challenge if Sanders lives up to his most optimistic scouting reports. At 40, Flacco is clearly at the tail end of his career. And while Pickett is a former first-round draft pick, he hasn't lived up to those expectations yet.
Rookie Dillon Gabriel — who the Browns selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft — could prove to be Sanders' biggest barrier to securing the starting role. Both of their performances will be scrutinized closely during training camp and in the preseason.
If Sanders is unable to secure the team's starting job immediately, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Few fifth-round picks are elevated into starting roles on Day 1.
The early returns sound promising, though. Stefanski's comments seem to indicate the negative chatter surrounding Sanders prior to the draft was overblown. If Sanders can continue to refute that narrative while showing the on-field skills that made him a highly-ranked prospect, the Browns could wind up with one of the biggest steals of the 2025 NFL Draft.
