Shedeur: I could've handled pre-draft process in 'a different way'
Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders addressed his pre-draft process Saturday and reflected on whether he could've done anything differently after falling to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
"I feel like in life, there's always a way I can improve," Sanders said Saturday, shortly after the Browns drafted him, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "I'm able to improve. And some things that I (did) that seemed right at the time, I could've went about it a different way."
Several experts listed Sanders as potentially the second-best quarterback of this class behind Cam Ward, who went first overall to the Tennessee Titans. However, Sanders didn't hear his name called until Day 3 at No. 144 overall in one of the NFL draft's most historic falls.
Sanders' unexpected fall shocked the NFL world, but the former Colorado star isn't concerned about it anymore.
"I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity throughout everything," Sanders said. "I don't ever focus on a negative or even think about the negative because the positive happened so fast."
He added: "The main thing is I'm proving (head coach Kevin) Stefanski and Mr. (Andrew) Berry right about picking me, that I'm a good draft pick."
In Cleveland, Sanders could have a chance to compete for the starting role. Deshaun Watson is unlikely to play in 2025 due to an Achilles injury, which leaves the Browns with a QB competition featuring Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel, who the team also drafted this year at No. 94.
"I know I'm going to fit in perfectly," Sanders continued. "I feel like first thing getting in is showing respect to the vets. I'm getting ready to work and show the coaches, have them understand I'm ready to work, actually understand the real me. I'm truly thankful for the opportunity for people to actually see the real me and not be able to see stuff that could be true or not."
Sanders - who led the Big 12 in most major passing categories in 2024 - reportedly didn't interview well with teams pre-draft, but several draft experts pointed out that his interviews alone shouldn't have dropped him all the way to the fifth round given his potential.