Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders Drafted by Browns in Fifth Round

The Colorado quarterback has found his NFL home.

Sanders dropped from a projected top-10 pick into the fifth round. / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Shedeur Sanders finally found his NFL home after the Cleveland Browns selected the Colorado quarterback with the 144th pick in the fifth-round on Saturday.

Many teams passed on Sanders during the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night, then passed him in the second and third rounds on Friday. Sanders was once considered a top-five pick, but his stock continued to decline as the draft approached. Some teams just didn't consider him a "first-round talent."

The Pittsburgh Steelers were seen as the top option for Sanders on Thursday, followed by the New York Giants when they traded to get the No. 25 pick. The Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks, Arizona Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys were all considered possible landing spots for Sanders during night two. Out of those teams, only the Seahawks drafted a quarterback on Friday night, picking Alabama's Jalen Milroe.

After all the discussions about which teams could take Sanders, the Browns ended up sealing the deal by trading up in the fifth round with the Seahawks to take the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Sanders finished his senior season and second year with the Colorado Buffaloes by completing 74% of his passes for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions during the 2024 season.

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