Now, who would have thought that the NFL Combine’s snub and those “arrogant” and “brash” tags will not just pull Shedeur Sanders draft stock but will bring him down to a level that there’s no way out? But is missing out on a player like him a smart move? Shedeur Sanders’ 49-game touchdown streak, the longest in Division I history, was not only impressive but also record-breaking. He’s only the second quarterback ever to exceed 14,000 passing yards with a completion percentage over 70%.
Ironically, the NFL draft dealt him a blow. The Cleveland Browns surprisingly bypassed Sanders at pick No. 94, opting instead for Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel, dramatically altering the 2025 draft narrative. But this move shocked every football entity. Shedeur’s teammate Travis Hunter’s girlfriend, Leanna Lenne’s brother, Kaden Sonnabend, instigates a debate on IG story in total shock and disbelief and says, “Ain’t no way, man.” And it’s not just him. Even Patrick Mahomes couldn’t help but tweet about it, calling it “crazy.”
Of course it’s hard to believe. As Dillon Gabriel was a fourth- to fifth-round prospect, the Browns took him, leaving Shedeur in the trenches. It’s not just the Browns; even the Steelers, who were showing interest in Shedeur, did get another chance to land him in the third round, but they went all in for RB Kaleb Johnson. Even New Orleans took NFL-ready Tyler Shough over him. And let’s not forget even Jalen Milroe, with all the inconsistency of 12 picks, got into the Seattle Seahawks.
But despite all this, Shedeur isn’t letting the negativity impact him, as he laid out clearly after the first round. “We all didn’t expect this, of course, but I feel like with God, anything’s possible, everything’s possible, and I feel like this didn’t happen for no reason,” Sanders said. “All this is, of course is fuel to the fire. Under no circumstance — we all know this shouldn’t have happened, but we understand we’re on to bigger and better things. If tomorrow’s the day, we’re going to be happy regardless.” Now, what’s done is done.
This is a pivotal moment for Gabriel, becoming the tenth Oregon quarterback drafted in the last 30 years and the sixth this year alone. Despite concerns about his size, he arrives in Cleveland with significant momentum, a Heisman finalist nomination, and a record of consistent leadership. The Browns believe they’ve found a valuable player—just not the one anyone predicted.
