Shedeur Sanders is in unfamiliar territory heading into his rookie season.
The 23-year-old quarterback was regarded as one of college football‘s top prospects before suffering an all-time slide in April’s NFL Draft.
Expected to be taken off the board early, Sanders sat and watched as 143 names were called ahead of his.
The Cleveland Browns finally ended his wait on day three of the draft, selecting him with a fifth-round pick.
In the weeks and months building up to the event, Sanders would’ve had dreams of walking into the NFL and establishing himself as the face of a franchise on day 1.
But that won’t be the case in Cleveland, where he is instead locked in a four-way battle for the starting quarterback spot.
Sanders has joined a crowded room led by 18-year veteran Joe Flacco, while he will also be competing with former first-round pick Kenny Pickett, and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel, who was selected 50 spots ahead of him by the Browns.
DeShaun Watson, who signed a $230million contract when he arrived in Cleveland in 2022, is not expected to be a factor next season as he recovers from injury.
Regardless, it’s highly unlikely that Sanders will see the field in Week 1, with Flacco widely expected to be named the starter.
And that means the rookie will be unable to repeat the kind of heroics he showcased in the opening game of his senior year with the Colorado Buffaloes.
Back in August 2024, the Buffs kicked off their season against North Dakota State at Folsom Field.
Sanders threw for 445 yards and four touchdowns as he led a second-half fightback that secured a dramatic 31-26 win.
Sanders threw four touchdowns as the Buffalos won their 2024 season openerGetty Hunter, who went on to win the Heisman, caught three of those scoresGettyTravis Hunter, who would go on to win the Heisman Trophy and enter the NFL as the second overall draft pick with a $46.6 million contract, hauled in three of those scores.
Under the watchful gaze of head coach and NFL legend Deion Sanders, who is also Shedeur’s father, the Buffaloes trailed 20-17 at the half.
But thanks to the effort of Sanders and Hunter on offense, and a defense that also came up big, Colorado scored 14 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarter to take control down the stretch, with a 31-20 lead.
In the second half, they kept North Dakota off the scoreboard until the visitors finally tallied a touchdown with just 2:19 to play, setting up a dramatic finish.
The Bison’s 2-point conversion effort failed, and the Buffaloes followed up with a march to midfield, before punting.
North Dakota took over at its own 8-yard line with 31 seconds left, and on the game’s final play, completed a 49-yard Hail Mary attempt.
Sanders put up impressive stats in the game, but Coach Prime was not impressedGettyThe effort fell four yards short of the goal line, meaning Colorado held on to victory — much to the relief of the 49,000-strong home crowd.
QB Sanders finished with one of the best stat lines of his career.
He completed 26 of 34 attempts for 445 yards (a 2024 season high), and threw four touchdowns and one interception.
But those numbers, and the win, were not enough to impress Colorado’s head coach.
Speaking after the game, Deion expressed his frustration, and explained he felt like he had to ‘hold back his anger’ because the victory felt hollow.
“You ever feel like you won but you didn’t win?” Coach Prime, who is currently battling an illness, asked.
“Let’s move on from that.
“I’m going to try my best to hold back my anger. But we got a ‘W’ so I’m happy.”
Coach Sanders admitted he ‘held back anger’ after Colorado’s opening winGettyWith that brutal assessment, Sanders showcased the fiery passion and high expectations that he has become known for in college football.
Playing under a coach like that, albeit his father, will no doubt have helped Shedeur develop into the NFL prospect that he is today.
But while he has entered the league, it’s unlikely that the rookie will be able to impress on Week 1 of his first season in the pros, especially if he’s sat behind Flacco, Pickett and Gabriel on the bench.
The rookie, though, has made a statement of intent in recent days, sending a rousing three-word message to Browns fans.
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“Mentally we’re here,” he posted on Instagram, along with a picture of the Dawg Pound, suggesting he can’t wait for the new season to begin.
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