The Cleveland Browns made two head-scratching selections in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Taking Dillon Gabriel way earlier than most people anticipated was one, and doubling down by taking Shedeur Sanders two rounds later was even harder to explain.
Granted, it made perfect sense to go after Sanders in the fifth round, but that would’ve essentially meant that taking Gabriel was a mistake.
Notably, that’s why some people argued that team owner Jimmy Haslam may have imposed his will on the front office.
That, plus the crowded quarterback room in Berea, sets the table for a tough rookie season for Sanders.
With that in mind, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report argued that Sanders was one of the five rookies with the worst landing spots to become a starter in year one:
“[Shedeur] Sanders joins a quarterbacks room that went from the league’s thinnest to most crowded in short order. The Browns […] opened the offseason by trading for 2022 first-rounder turned journeyman Kenny Pickett. The team also signed the aging Joe Flacco, a veteran presence with Super Bowl experience, as a potential contender for the QB1 role,” Kay wrote. “If that weren’t enough competition for Sanders, the Buffaloes star must also beat out Dillon Gabriel […] after the Browns opted to draft the Oregon/Oklahoma/UCF product at No. 94 overall.”
Sanders might be the fourth player in the pecking order right now.
The front office raved about Kenny Pickett, and they got their best quarterback play of the decade with Joe Flacco at the helm.
One of them could be the odd man out and be on another team before the start of the season.
Sanders or Gabriel could still beat whoever’s left for the starting position.
Nevertheless, the Browns will most likely roll with Gabriel, whom they took two full rounds earlier, before even considering giving Sanders a shot.
Sanders entered the league with more hype than apparent talent, and he’s not in a good position to prove the doubters wrong.
NEXT: Hanford Dixon Says Browns Rookie Has 'It Factor'
