Colin Cowherd Makes Bold Shedeur Sanders Prediction For Cleveland Browns Season

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback and former Colorado Buffaloes star Shedeur Sanders is trying to work his way up in a crowded Browns quarterback room. Colin Cowherd predicted on Monday that Sanders will get his chance to start for multiple reasons.

Jun 10, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) talk to the media during mBerea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (12) talk to the media during minicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Imagesinicamp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback and former Colorado Buffaloes star Shedeur Sanders was selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Sanders is now a member of a Browns quarterback room that consists of Dillon Gabriel, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, and Deshaun Watson.

At Colorado the past two seasons, Sanders was one of the biggest stars in all of college football. Sports television personality Colin Cowherd believes that the star-power that Sanders possesses will give him a real chance to start for the Browns in 2025. 

Colin Cowherd Predicts Shedeur to Get Shot At Starting Quarterback

Cleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett gestures to rookie Shedeur Sanders during an NFL practice at the Cleveland Browns training facility on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On FS1’s The Herd on Monday, Colin Cowherd outlined two reasons why he believes that Shedeur Sanders will get an opportunity to be the Browns starting quarterback during the 2025 season. One was in regards to Browns owner Jimmy Haslem, who as Cowherd puts it, is “impulsive” and wanting star power.

“The owner of the Cleveland Browns, Jimmy Haslem, is really impulsive. He drafted Johnny Manziel over better quarterbacks. He drafted Baker Mayfield. He signed Deshaun Watson to a ridiculous guaranteed deal,” Cowherd said. “There’s a lot of believe in the NFL that Jimmy Haslem is the reason that of all the teams, Cleveland finally drafted Shedeur Sanders. He is desperate to be recognized and for star power.”

"In a QB room with zero star power, except Shedeur Sanders, he's gonna get a chance."@ColinCowherd says a lack of star power in Cleveland gives the rookie a great chance to start. pic.twitter.com/ZUwNPh03RT

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 9, 2025

Cowherd then lists his second reason. The Browns schedule in the opening month is a gauntlet. They face five of the top offenses in the NFL from a season ago in each of their first five game; the Cincinnati Bengals, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Minnesota Vikings. If the Browns struggle in these games and are a tough watch on offense with one of the other quarterbacks on the roster, the door could be open for Sanders. 

“Cleveland’s roster is the weakest easily in the division, and the early schedule is brutal….You think old Joe Flacco, dull Kenny Pickett, small Dillon Gabriel when the team is getting beat 33-17…against exciting Jordan Love and Lamar Jackson, or brilliant Joe Burrow, or highly productive Jared Goff,” Cowherd said. “My prediction, you start looking at the schedule between week seven and 10, Shedeur Sanders is going to get a shot here.”

Cowherd added that while Sanders playing may not necessarily translate to winning right away, it would captivate fans regardless. 

“This is going to be a team that’s going to be boring offensively,” Cowherd said. “You know what will make them not boring? Shedeur Sanders taking snaps win or lose.”

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Browns Open Season Against Joe Burrow and Bengals 

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) takes a snap before throwing a touchdown pass to Ja'Marr Chase in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 16 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. The Bengals won 24-16. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns kick off their 2025 season at home on September 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The quarterback they will welcome in will be Bengals star Joe Burrow, who led the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns last season.