The Cleveland Browns finally halted Shedeur Sanders’ unexpected slide in the 2025 NFL Draft, selecting the former Colorado quarterback at No. 144 overall in the fifth round.
What began as first-round projections for Sanders ended with one of draft weekend’s most talked about tumbles down the board.
Reports circulated just before the fifth round that the Philadelphia Eagles had their eyes on Sanders.
This speculation gained enough traction that Rich Eisen confronted Eagles general manager Howie Roseman directly about whether Philadelphia planned to select Sanders before Cleveland made their move.
“I would say that there are a lot of players that get taken before you pick in the draft,” Roseman said. “When you get to your pick, you’re going off the board that you have.”
When questioned about potentially drafting Sanders instead of Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord in the sixth round, Roseman maintained his diplomatic stance.
The Eagles executive carefully avoided revealing how the organization had ranked these prospects internally.
Had Sanders landed in Philadelphia, he would likely have served as depth behind starter Jalen Hurts while potentially bringing a different skillset to the quarterback room.
Despite his draft day disappointment, Sanders finds himself with a legitimate path to becoming QB2 for the Browns this season.
With Deshaun Watson working through Achilles rehabilitation and expected to miss early games, veteran Joe Flacco appears positioned to handle starting duties.
Sanders faces stiff competition for the backup role, however, as he must outperform former first-round selection Kenny Pickett and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, a third-round pick.
NEXT: Insider Reveals Why Browns Drafted Dillon Gabriel Ahead Of Shedeur Sanders
