The first two days of the 2025 NFL Draft flew by without Shedeur Sanders getting selected. All 32 teams passed on him until the Cleveland Browns ended his freefall in the fifth round by making the former Colorado quarterback the 144th overall pick of the draft.
Yet, the Browns had already selected another quarterback earlier on, with Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel in the third round. So, what were the Browns thinking by selecting two rookie quarterbacks?
One theory, as The Athletic recently quickly brushed over, was the thought that Browns ownership, led by Jimmy Haslam, stepped in and forced the front office’s hand to draft Sanders.
“There was also the matter of the Browns’ coach, GM and personnel staff appearing less than jubilant when cameras captured Cleveland making the Sanders selection. That added to the perception that ownership drove a selection that wouldn’t make sense to team builders.”
The Athletic on Cleveland Browns drafting Shedeur Sanders
Look at the clip below, shortly after Sanders was selected. Does anyone in the Browns’ war room look particularly thrilled or excited?
Browns war room after drafting Shedeur Sanders pic.twitter.com/VA0qU0KtUc
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) April 26, 2025
Isn’t that a bit odd? This is a team that just found excellent value, selecting a player that many teams had a second-round grade on in the fifth round. Not to mention, it happened at the most valuable position in sports.
Yet, there were no celebrations, no high fives, just some uninspired clapping while general manager Andrew Berry looked like he was questioning whether he wanted to be there. So, did Browns ownership get involved in drafting Sanders? We may never know, but it certainly seems possible.
Related: NFL analyst suggests coaches didn’t want to draft Shedeur Sanders for fear of being replaced
