Shedeur Sanders unexpectedly went from being a first-round pick to a fifth-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2025 NFL draft. He’s coming off a career with the Colorado Buffaloes, leading them to a 9-4 record and winning the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
Sanders joins a crowded quarterback room in Cleveland. It already includes veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett and was joined by Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who was picked ahead of Sanders in the same draft during the third round.
During Tuesday’s episode of “Maggie and Perloff,” Maggie Gray had a blunt reaction to the chances of Shedeur being cut from the roster ahead of the season. Gray emphasized what Browns said after they picked Shedeur in the fifth round.
“I’m just saying it’s a crowded quarterback room, and the messaging coming out of the Browns the moment after they took Shedeur was, ‘This was a low-risk, no-risk [move],’ right? We’re not tied to him at all,” Gray said. “And that’s what they were messaging through all the Browns reporters: ‘He’s just like every other fifth-round quarterback.'”
Remember when the Cleveland Browns told us that picking Shedeur Sanders in the 5th round meant they could move on at any time
Will he be the odd man out in the Browns QB room?
pic.twitter.com/XeY6P9H54t— Maggie Gray (@MaggieGray) July 22, 2025
However, her co-host didn’t quite agree. Andrew Perloff believes Shedeur Sanders is unlike any other fifth-round pick and should retain his place on the roster.
“Yeah, I just can’t wrap my head around—after all this noise—that they’re gonna cut Shedeur Sanders,” Perloff said. “Also, by all accounts, he looked good in camp.
“I mean, why? If you’re gonna cut a fifth-round pick—or not cut, you said maybe trade—yeah. But the reality is, they have a fifth-round pick who probably outperformed what you thought. Like, that’s not the guy you cut.”
How has Shedeur Sanders performed in Browns OTAs?
Shedeur Sanders will have a long shot at becoming the backup quarterback, potentially behind former Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Flacco. He has left many impressed with his performance in the Browns OTAs.
Sanders completed 41 of 53 passes with an impressive 77.4% completion rate, including nine TDs and one INT. He led all Browns QBs in these sessions. Despite this, he hasn’t yet taken first-team reps, with Dillon Gabriel and veterans getting more playing time.
Currently, Joe Flacco is gaining traction to become the QB1 in 2025, followed by Kenny Pickett. Deshaun Watson is also part of this quarterback room but he is unavailable due to injury.
With only three QB roster spots likely, Shedeur Sanders’ path to making the team or landing on the practice squad will hinge on preseason performance.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in football, basketball, and more!
