Shedeur Sanders, once projected as a potential No. 1 overall pick, experienced an unprecedented fall in the 2024 NFL Draft before being selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th overall pick in the fifth round.
According to data compiled by Benjamin Robinson of Grinding the Mocks, Sanders\' dramatic slide defied expert predictions and historical draft patterns. Robinson, who analyzes thousands of mock drafts to create consensus rankings, noted this case as particularly anomalous.
\"He should\'ve gone a lot earlier,\" Robinson said. \"It\'s been very surreal to experience in that way because there\'s a lot that we don\'t know.\"
Sanders began the draft cycle as a consensus top-five selection, with many experts projecting him as the first overall pick as recently as September. However, his stock mysteriously declined in the two months preceding the draft, despite not having played a game since December.
While quarterback prospects like Miami\'s Cam Ward, Louisville\'s Tyler Shough, and Ole Miss\'s Jaxson Dart saw their draft positions improve, Sanders continued falling. By draft day, Robinson\'s analysis of over 2,400 mock drafts placed Sanders at an average position of 20.7 - still significantly higher than where he was ultimately selected.
The Browns, who had already selected Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel in the third round, eventually ended Sanders\' slide by trading up to pick him. The selection came after multiple teams, including the Browns themselves, passed on Sanders multiple times in earlier rounds.
Robinson, a senior manager of data strategy and insights who has built a reputation for accurate draft projections, indicated that Sanders\' fall was unprecedented in his years of analyzing draft data. His mock draft consensus database has become so comprehensive that even NFL teams consult him for insights.
Sanders\' dramatic fall represented an outlier that couldn\'t be explained by on-field performance alone, with speculation ranging from questions about his abilities to his personality and the influence of his father, NFL legend and Colorado coach Deion Sanders.