Prognosticators universally viewed Shedeur Sanders as a potential first-round draft pick after his strong career at Colorado. Instead, five quarterbacks were selected before him before the Browns used their fifth-round pick to draft him. Cleveland even passed on him two rounds earlier when it selected Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third.

The Cleveland Browns selected the former Colorado quarterback in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft on Saturday, ending Sanders' long wait. Sanders entered the draft as one of the most highly regarded quarterback prospects, with many projecting him to go in the first or second round.