Shedeur Sanders gets hit with $35,000,000+ setback in catastrophic draft slide after Browns finally pick QB in round 5
Shedeur Sanders finally went to the Browns in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While the destination was not a surprise, where he was finally selected certainly was. Before the draft began, there were projections that the Colorado quarterback would go in the first round.
The Browns initially had the second-overall pick. Travis Hunter, who was selected by the Jaguars in that spot after a trade with Cleveland, is set to earn over $45 million over four years. Mason Graham, whom the AFC North team selected with their first pick (fifth overall), is set to top $40 million, too.
Spotrac also reports that with the 144th pick, where he was finally selected, Shedeur Sanders is slated to earn $4.6 million. That is a loss of more than $35 million for Deion Sanders' son. Therefore, in addition to the added competition and scrutiny, the Colorado quarterback is set to miss out on quite a bit during his rookie contract.
Did Shedeur Sanders lose out by not falling another pick away from the Browns?
Beyond the financial loss, going to the Browns has some significant downsides for Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland began with Deshaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, and Joe Flacco in their quarterback room. They added Dillon Gabriel on Day 2 of the 2025 NFL Draft before adding the Colorado player. That means he has to leapfrog four people on the depth chart before he can become a starter.
Also, as a practical matter, there is no way the Browns begin with five quarterbacks in their active roster when the 2025 season rolls around. Given that Shedeur Sanders is the lowest-rated signal-caller right now, there is a chance that he will just be placed on the practice squad.
The next team that picked was the Philadelphia Eagles. They are the reigning Super Bowl champions, but behind Jalen Hurts, they just have Tanner McKee and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Had the Colorado player dropped one spot, he would have had an easier way to the top. He would also have trained with arguably the best offensive line in the league and a team with an established running game.
Therefore, Shedeur Sanders lost money and status by dropping to the fifth round. But had he dropped just a bit further, he might have ended up in a better situation than where he is now. If he is to have a redemption story, Deion Sanders' son will have to do it the hard way.