Buffs Beat

Shedeur Sanders Brings His Signature Style, Heart To Cleveland Browns After NFL Draft

After the Cleveland Browns selected him with the No. 144 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders is already making an impact off the field. His first week in Cleveland has included a surprise school visit, a community workout, and dozens of interactions with local kids—proof that Sanders is sticking to his brand of grassroots connection.
Ben Armendariz|
Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Shedeur Sanders on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Feb 6, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Shedeur Sanders on the red carpet before Super Bowl LIX NFL Honors at Saenger Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Colorado BuffaloesCleveland Browns

Cleveland hasn’t even seen the former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders throw a pass in a Browns uniform yet, but the city might already be seeing its next fan favorite in the making.

In a week where rookies often fade into the background, Sanders made a loud impression—not with words, but with action.

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) greets fans after defeating the Arizona
Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) greets fans after defeating the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The No. 144 pick of the 2025 NFL Draft arrived in Cleveland with little fanfare but wasted no time connecting with the community. Earlier this week, Sanders paid a surprise visit to a local school, where he spoke to students about perseverance, leadership, and staying grounded.

But it didn’t end there.

After speaking, Sanders laced up his cleats and headed to the school’s football field to get in some personal work. It wasn’t long before a group of kids—some student-athletes—gathered along the sidelines to watch. Chants of “QB1!” echoed as Sanders ran through drills.

When the workout ended, he didn’t head for the car. Instead, he posed for photos and signed autographs—making time for every kid there. Even when another wave of fans arrived late, Sanders greeted them just the same. He posed for more pictures and signed more shirts, footballs, and even a lone cleat.

The moment quickly caught fire on social media. One Cleveland fan tweeted, “Cleveland loves Shedeur,” alongside the video of the kids cheering as Sanders practiced.

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For Sanders, this isn’t new. While at Colorado, he regularly visited schools and community events around Boulder. Now, he’s bringing that same hands-on, heart-first approach to Ohio.

“The real me, I’m definitely going to be able to show it with actions,” Sanders told reporters on a draft day press call. “You’ll understand—I’ll be more involved in the community and really leading the kids in the right direction. That’s the main thing. Whatever situation they’re in, that’s where I feel I have the most impact.”

Dec 21, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders before the game against the Bellarmine K
Dec 21, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders before the game against the Bellarmine Knights at CU Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Still, not everyone is buying into the show of goodwill. ESPN Cleveland’s Aaron Goldhammer voiced skepticism on his radio show, which was later clipped and posted to social media: “I felt like it was him screaming, ‘Look, see how good of a person I am. I went to a school, then I worked out. I’m doing all the right things.’”

But fans were quick to defend the young quarterback, sharing videos of his work back in Colorado and echoing the sentiment that this is simply who Sanders is. One fan commented, “Not new to this, true to this,” adding a montage of one of Sanders's visits to Fairview High School, another local program in Colorado.

Whether you see Sanders’ actions as genuine leadership or savvy branding, one thing is clear—he’s not waiting for Sundays to make a difference. In just a few days, he’s earned chants of “QB1” not from teammates or coaches but from kids in a schoolyard. And in a city that knows grit when it sees it, that might just be the first step toward something bigger than football. Cleveland doesn’t crown its heroes easily—but Sanders might already be on his way.

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Ben Armendariz
BEN ARMENDARIZ

Ben Armendariz is a reporter for Colorado Buffaloes on SI, part of the Sports Illustrated Network. While earning his bachelor’s degree in Journalism with a minor in Sports Media from the University of Colorado, he contributed to Buffs coverage through CUBuffs.com and Sko Buff Sports. He’s also covered professional combat sports as a contributor for FloCombat. A lifelong sports fan, Ben is now pursuing a master’s degree in Sports Management at Texas A&M University, with plans to build a long-term career in sports media. His passion for storytelling, in-depth analysis, and unique perspectives on sports marketing and sponsorships set his work apart. Outside of reporting and school, he enjoys attending Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets games and running his online vintage retail business.

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