The Cleveland Browns selected Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the 144th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after what a team source called a \"no-brainer\" decision. According to a source with knowledge of Browns\' internal conversations, general manager Andrew Berry \"worked hard to trade up for him,\" beginning to make calls late in the fourth round.
\"We felt like it got to a point where he was probably mispriced relative to the draft,\" Berry told reporters Saturday. \"Really, the acquisition cost was pretty light, and it\'s a guy that we think can outproduce his draft slot.\"
Draft Room Dynamics
A team source said the Browns believed many teams had a Day 2 grade on Sanders, with another team source describing being \"surprised as Sanders fell into Day 3.\" According to one person in the Browns\' draft room, there wasn\'t a spirited discussion about what to do with Sanders as the team had already accounted for the player and his ranking.
Berry dismissed speculation about ownership influence in the selection when asked if team owner Jimmy Haslam forced the pick.
\"Jimmy lets us do our jobs,\" Berry said.
An AFC area scout told ESPN about Sanders\' draft process: \"I heard he had some rough interviews, and the pro day was average. Surprised but not shocked [Sanders fell to the fifth round].\"
One source from another quarterback-needy team indicated to ESPN that the Browns\' process with Sanders went smoother than it did for others.
\"We felt good with him as a person,\" Berry confirmed. \"He works hard. He\'s a really good kid. He wants to be great. His teammates loved him in Colorado, and I know he\'ll come in here ready to work.\"
Sanders joins a quarterback competition that includes Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, fellow 2025 draftee Dillon Gabriel, and injured starter Deshaun Watson. A source noted that Deion Sanders FaceTimed Berry after the selection, with whom he had \"built a good relationship throughout the predraft process.\"