There’s no doubt that ever since Shedeur Sanders was born on February 7, 2002, in Tyler, Texas, the spotlight has been on him. There was a good reason for that – he was the son of one of the greatest players in NFL history, Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. The attention has followed Shedeur his entire life.
Controversy and scrutiny are nothing new to Shedeur Sanders, and his journey to becoming an NFL player has been no exception. Leading up to the NFL Draft, much of the buzz surrounded him. He had just finished an outstanding season at the University of Colorado, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 37 touchdowns, making him one of the most highly rated prospects.
Projections suggested Shedeur Sanders would be selected in the first round. However, the surprise came when five quarterbacks were drafted before him, and he eventually fell to the fifth round, where the Cleveland Browns selected him. It was a dramatic drop, and his short NFL career since then has been challenging. Though he began as the fourth option on the depth chart, he has now worked his way up to the backup role.
Dillon Gabriel will need more opportunities
The major problem for Shedeur Sanders was that the Browns had already drafted another quarterback – Dillon Gabriel – two rounds earlier. From that moment on, Gabriel became head coach Kevin Stefanski’s favorite, earning the first real opportunities and becoming the starter by Week 5.
In three starts, beyond the win over the Dolphins, Dillon Gabriel has yet to impress. However, Ken Carman and Anthony Lima from The 92.3 Fan Cleveland believe Gabriel simply needs more time and reps: “(Dillon) is the starting QB, you’re trying to win games. He’s behind, he clearly needs all the reps he can get. People are comparing this to when Flacco was here – this is clearly a different situation.”
The reality is that the NFL is a league driven by statistics, especially for quarterbacks. The rookie has now gone two straight games – against the Steelers and Dolphins – without throwing a single touchdown, and the pressure continues to mount, particularly with Shedeur Sanders waiting right behind him.
Cleveland Browns fans are eager to see what Shedeur Sanders can bring to the table. And watch out – after Week 8’s game against the New England Patriots comes the bye week, which could open the door for a quarterback change.
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