Shedeur Sanders chosen by Cleveland Browns after falling to fifth spherical of NFL draft

The Cleveland Browns chosen Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the 144th choose within the fifth spherical of the NFL draft on Saturday, a shocking slide down the boards for what was thought-about by many a first-round choose.

Sanders was a lightning rod of a prospect throughout draft season. Whereas many projected him as a first-round choice — anyplace as excessive as No. 3 to the New York Giants or to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 21 — he went undrafted on the primary two nights.

In the end, Sanders was chosen within the fifth spherical by Cleveland. 5 quarterbacks — Miami’s Cam Ward, Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, Louisville’s Tyler Shough, Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel — went forward of Sanders.

Minutes after the choose was made, Sanders posted to X: “Thanks GOD.”

Coming into Saturday, Sanders was the perfect prospect nonetheless obtainable, in line with NBC Sports activities’s Connor Rogers, who ranked Sanders thirtieth on his NFL draft board.

Sanders, the son of NFL Corridor-of-Famer and Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders, started his collegiate profession at Jackson State in 2021 when his father was the top coach. Each left for Colorado after the 2022 season, and Shedeur Sanders spent his last two years in faculty with the Buffaloes.

In his senior season, Sanders gained Huge 12 Offensive Participant of the Yr, finishing 74.0% of his passes, with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He additionally threw 4,134 yards.

Sanders was a key determine in Colorado’s turnaround as a soccer program. The college gained just one recreation the season earlier than his arrival. In 2024, the Buffaloes gained 9 video games for the primary time since 2016.

Within the lead as much as the draft, Sanders was the goal of a number of scouts and coaches, along with his character off the sphere typically being drawn into query.