There were whispers ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft that Shedeur Sanders might not wind up being the top-10 pick he was projected to be for months leading up to the event, but nobody expected him to fall all the way to pick No. 144 to the Cleveland Browns.
He now finds himself fourth on the depth chart in Cleveland’s QB room, and it could be the humbling experience he needs to eventually work up to being a successful NFL quarterback.
Las Vegas Raiders superstar defensive end Maxx Crosby shared a similar sentiment recently, as he said that Sanders is going to have to “really earn it” in his current situation.
“You just gotta come in with the right mindset. I think if you just focus strictly on football and go out there and get hold of the locker room, I know he’s going to have a chance to compete. I’m wishing the best for [Shedeur Sanders]. I love the kid. I’ve always had a great relationship with him, and I wish him the best. But like I said, certain things happen for a reason. I don’t know if New York would’ve been the best spot for him. So it just works out how things are supposed to work out. He’s going to have to really earn it. His leash is a little bit shorter now, being a fifth-round pick, and he’s got to earn it, and it’s going to be the best thing for him at the end of the day,” Crosby said on ‘Glory Daze with Johnny Manziel.’
Crosby knows a thing or two about earning it in the NFL, as he joined the Raiders as a fourth-round pick in 2019 and posted ten sacks and four forced fumbles as a rookie.
Sanders and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel could certainly see the field at some point this season since the Browns need to figure out if they need to draft another quarterback in 2026, when they have two first-round picks in a loaded QB class.
The first half of Cleveland’s schedule is brutal, so it wouldn’t be surprising if either Joe Flacco or Kenny Pickett were the starter early on until Sanders or Gabriel is ready.
Sanders could stand to benefit from taking advice from people like Crosby, as he is one of the best in the league and knows quite well what Sanders is going through.
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