In the 2025 NFL Draft of the biggest storylines involved Shedeur Sanders, the standout quarterback from Colorado and son of NFL iconDeion Sanders. Weeks before the draft, Deion made a bold prediction that one of his two star students – either Shedeur or Heisman winner Travis Hunter – would end up with the Cleveland Browns. He wasn’t wrong, but it didn’t turn out the way most expected. Instead of taking Shedeur with the second overall pick, the Browns traded it to the Jaguars, who took Hunter.
Cleveland’s first selection came with the fifth overall pick, Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham, and it wasn’t until the fifth round, with pick 144, that Shedeur finally joined the Browns. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Raiders, with Tom Brady as a minority owner and a rumored Sanders supporter, left everyone scratching their heads by passing on him entirely.
Tom Brady Faces Heat for Raiders’ Shocking Shedeur Sanders Pass
The Las Vegas Raiders were a team everyone thought had Shedeur Sanders on their radar, especially given Tom Brady’s connection to the young quarterback. Brady, a minority owner, worked out with Sanders in 2020 and even sent him an encouraging text – “Don’t be complacent” – after Colorado’s big win over TCU. But when the draft rolled into the third round, the Raiders kept passing on Sanders, despite a shaky quarterback depth chart that included Geno Smith, Aidan O’Connell and Carter Bradley. Fans and analysts were stunned, and the backlash was swift.
Skip Bayless took to social media, firing off, “It’s obvious Tom Brady told the Raiders not to draft Shedeur,” and later, “How could Brady’s team keep passing on him?” The Raiders grabbed running back Ashton Jeanty with their first pick, a solid move, but with no reliable backup for Smith, letting Sanders slip through their fingers has sparked serious debate about Brady’s influence – and judgment.
Shedeur Sanders’ Cleveland Challenge: A Rough Road Ahead
Now in Cleveland, Shedeur Sanders steps into a testing ground that is equal parts opportunity and obstacle. The Browns have gone through 40 different starting quarterbacks since 1999-more than any other NFL team-leaving a legacy of instability. Shedeur has a crowded depth chart to contend with, going up against an injured Deshaun Watson, veteran Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and another rookie, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel.
The AFC North isn’t forgiving either, with elite passers like Joe Burrow and Lamar Jackson dominating the division, and Cleveland’s lack of a true No. 1 wide receiver doesn’t help. Still, there’s a silver lining: The Browns have a top-notch coaching staff and a stout defense, giving Sanders a foundation to grow on – if he can seize the opportunity. With Watson’s injury clouding the starter picture, it’s anyone’s guess who will take the field when the season begins. The unpredictability of the draft turned Shedeur Sanders‘ journey into a headline-grabbing saga. Falling to the fifth round wasn’t the script anyone wrote for him, but it did give him a chance to carve his own path with the Browns.
For Tom Brady, the Raiders’ decision to pass on Sanders has fueled speculation and criticism, putting his role in the draft room under a microscope. When the dust settles, all eyes will be on Cleveland to see if Sanders can rise above the chaos and claim the role of franchise quarterback the Browns have chased for decades even though they could have, but did not, keep Baker Mayfield.
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