Sportsnaut
Leading up to the 2025 NFL Draft, many thought Shedeur Sanders would be a first-round pick. That didn’t happen. All 32 teams had several chances to select Colorado’s former star quarterback.
His draft-day freefall eventually came to an end once the Cleveland Browns traded up to the 144th spot to make Sanders a fifth-round pick. Yet, he’s no higher than third or fourth on the depth chart to begin with.
Still, Sanders’ draft position hasn’t done anything to spoil his day or impact his confidence. If anything, it’s strengthened his mindset.
He’s even gone far enough to compare his draft experience to the one Tom Brady went through, when the once-Michigan QB fell all the way to the sixth round back in the 2000 NFL Draft. Brady of course went on to become arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, winning six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and one more with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Despite Brady’s excellence, Sanders believes once his story is written, it will be one that looks similar to Brady’s.
“My story is gonna be similar” – Shedeur Sanders on Tom Brady reaching out after his draft slide. pic.twitter.com/Up22an4GDN
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 10, 2025
Sanders could very well have one of the most fascinating football career arcs we’ve seen in the modern day. Yet, Sanders will have to see the field for this story to get anywhere else. In that case, he has a lot of work cut out for him.
Related: 2025 NFL QB Rankings: Does Shedeur Sanders crack the list?
More must-reads:
