Shedeur Sanders was served a huge slice of humble pie when he slid all the way to pick No. 144 in the fifth round in the 2025 NFL Draft after months of being projected to be a top-10 pick by nearly every mock draft and media pundit in the industry, with many of the belief that he should be in the mix to go first overall.
Sanders will come into the league as an unconventional fifth-round pick because he still has a world of hype around him, something that former first overall pick and MVP Cam Newton certainly knows a thing or two about.
During a recent episode of 4th&1, Newton shared some advice for the Browns’ rookie, saying that he wants him to have fun and stay focused.
“I’m with Shedeur — you got to have fun, but do it within your wheelhouse. That’s all I’m going to say because yes, this is a serious profession. Don’t get it twisted. Everybody thinks they’re ready for this smoke until they get caught in that chimney,” Newton said.
There has been a ton of criticism about how Sanders may have conducted himself during pre-draft interviews, though little has been confirmed.
He won’t have the pressure to lead a franchise right away, and instead, can focus on simply honing his craft and improving his game.
The Browns’ first eight games before their Week 9 bye are brutal, so it’s unlikely either Sanders or fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel will land the starting gig out of the gate.
Sanders has a great mentor to learn from in Joe Flacco if he embraces his new role, so it will be interesting to see how this crowded quarterback room plays out.
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