The biggest name of the 2025 NFL draft is off the board – finally.
The Cleveland Browns selected former Colorado and Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders with the sixth pick of the fifth round (144th overall) on the third day of the 2025 NFL draft. Five quarterbacks were picked ahead of Sanders, who was a popular first-round pick in mock drafts and was thought to go no later than the second.
The excruciating wait for the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year mercifully over, it’s time to consult the winners and losers of arguably the most dramatic draft slide in recent memory.
WINNERS
Shedeur Sanders
The young man’s NFL dream has come true, regardless of the craziness over the past 48 hours. It’s an accomplishment for all 257 prospects who had their names called during the draft. And it’s worth celebrating even for Sanders, who displayed legitimate enthusiasm as he watched Day 3 of the draft with his family in Texas.
Kevin Stefanski and Tommy Rees
Should Sanders work out as a professional quarterback, the Browns head coach (Stefanski) and offensive coordinator (Rees) will receive due credit. Sanders is not a finished product, but he’s in the right place to be developed by a coach such as Stefanski, who’s won games with all types of signal-callers and has proven he can do so with a pure pocket-passer such as Sanders.
Deion Sanders
He’s no LaVar Ball, but the son he’s coached his entire life made it to the NFL. Living up to the legacy of a Hall of Fame father is not easy. Again, the last three days have obviously soured the occasion, but it’s hopefully still a proud moment for “Coach Prime.”
Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku
With all of the competition in the quarterback room, perhaps the cream will rise to the top? If so, the wideout and tight end combo could be in for productive campaigns in the near future.
Andrew Berry
The Browns general manager didn’t have to burn a top pick on a quarterback who evidently didn’t have a grade worthy of the slot. He even took another quarterback, Dillon Gabriel, before Sanders (in the third round at No. 92 overall). Berry first addressed the defense by adding defensive tackle Mason Graham (fifth overall) and linebacker Carson Schwesinger (33rd overall) before taking running back Quinshon Judkins (second round), tight end Harold Fannin Jr. (third round) and running back Dylan Sampson (fourth round).
LOSERS
Deion Sanders
“Prime” thought he could dictate a landing spot for his son and boasted that he’d be a top-five pick. Instead, all 32 teams disagreed. It’s a humbling moment for him and his Buffaloes program.
Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco
Not only is Shedeur Sanders going to be competition in the suddenly crowded quarterback room, but he’ll command plenty of attention, too. These QBs may be fine with it, but the selection of Sanders means they should also maybe have a real estate agent on speed dial.
Deshaun Watson
If Watson does decide to hang around the team during his Achilles injury rehab – which wasn’t happening, apparently, when he re-injured the affected Achilles – there will be even more cameras around.
The Browns’ offensive line
Not a particularly strong unit a year ago, all of the attention will be on them to keep Sanders (or whoever else the Browns play at quarterback) clean.
Shedeur Sanders
Self-explanatory. His name is forever attached to the slide he experienced this week. It’s up to him now to make it a regrettable one for the other 31 NFL teams.
QB Jaxson Dart/New York Giants
He was taken 25th overall by the Giants and, therefore, runs the risk of being compared to Sanders for the rest of his life. And the Giants are in prime position to be a punchline, pending the results of Sanders’ (and Dart’s) career.
QB Tyler Shough/New Orleans Saints
He was taken 40th overall by the Saints and, therefore, runs the risk of being compared to Sanders for the rest of his life. And the Saints are in prime position to be a punchline, pending the results of Sanders’ (and Shough’s) career.
QB Jalen Milroe/Seattle Seahawks
He was taken 92nd overall by the Seahawks and, therefore, runs the risk of being compared to Sanders for the rest of his life. And the Seahawks are in prime position to be a punchline, pending the results of Sanders’ (and Milroe’s) career.
QB Dillon Gabriel
Not even the most notable rookie quarterback on his new team now. He’ll be the guy the Browns took before Sanders, which stands to only hurt his reputation if Sanders pans out and he doesn’t. Of course, Gabriel could go on to have a solid NFL career, most likely as a backup.
Mel Kiper Jr.
The workers/acts at the Sanders family draft party
Unknown if they’re sticking around for Shilo Sanders, Shedeur’s brother, to be picked. In all seriousness, it looked like a subdued gathering at the Sanders residence on Friday and Saturday. But for the musicians who performed on Thursday, the mood was likely underwhelming.
The Shedeur Sanders prank callers
These fellas are capital L Losers. All signs point to them nefariously obtaining a number – if NFL teams were the only ones with access to the information, that’s a serious breach that should be investigated by league security – for Sanders, after which they duped him into thinking New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was calling him to inform him they were taking him Friday. We sadly live in a society that celebrates meanness. Karma, do your thing.