To succeed in the NFL, you need a franchise quarterback, a signal-caller behind center who can deliver in the biggest of moments or when the chips are down. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders — the son of Colorado head coach and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Deion Sanders — is considered one such talent, and he is set to be selected early on in the 2025 NFL Draft.
But no one knows where Shedeur is heading. The 22-year-old is believed to be a target for the Tennessee Titans (who own the #1 overall pick) and the Las Vegas Raiders (picking #6), but Deion has made it clear in recent months that he will have to “sign off” on his son’s destination, as he does not want Shedeur’s potential to go to waste with a mismanaged franchise.
Browns expect no problems from Shedeur, Deion
Throughout the pre-draft process, the Cleveland Browns have been regarded as Shedeur’s “least-likely” landing spot amid their tough 2024 season and reputation for chaos behind the scenes. After winning 11 games and making the playoffs in 2023, the Browns regressed heavily in 2024; Cleveland went 3-14 and scored the fewest points of any NFL team.
The Browns continue to draw heavy criticism for employing Deshaun Watson, the embattled quarterback to whom they gave a fully-guaranteed $230 million contract in 2022 while Watson litigated a wave of sexual harassment lawsuits filed against him. Watson missed most of 2024 with an Achilles tendon rupture, and he could miss all of 2025 after re-tearing his Achilles earlier this month.
As such, Cleveland will be hungry for a young — and cheap — quarterback, preferably one it can draft and hand a rookie contract. Shedeur fits the bill, and he has impressed Browns general manager Andrew Berry as he ponders what to do with the #2 overall pick.
Berry does not believe Deion would have any issue with Shedeur starting his career in Cleveland, which has never won (or played in) a Super Bowl. The Browns’ top exec called Shedeur “a really impressive young man” while simultaneously “buttering up” Deion, giving Cleveland fans hope that Shedeur could be their savior come September,
“(Shedeur) is poised, he’s calm, he’s smart and you can tell that he’s been raised by – quite honestly – a Hall of Fame dad,” Berry told reporters.