Forget the draft position; the tape doesn't lie. While the league let Shedeur Sanders slide to the 144th pick, Browns radio analyst and three-time Super Bowl champ Jerod Cherry is calling out the scouts.
After witnessing Sanders navigate a chaotic 2025 rookie campaign, Cherry didn’t hold back on ESPN Cleveland: "At worst, I think he showed 2nd round draft pick skill."
Cherry’s assessment isn't just hype, it’s backed by elite flashes he saw as Browns sideline reporter all season. Thrust into the fire in Week 11, Sanders didn't just survive; he rewrote the record books.
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In a breakout Week 14 performance, he exploded for 364-passing yards, and four total touchdowns, joining Joe Burrow as the only rookies in the Super Bowl era to hit those benchmarks in a single game.
Despite an injury plagued offensive line, zero reps with starters in training camp, and a 3-4 record as a starter, Sanders finished with 1,400-passing yards and seven touchdowns. While critics point to his 10 interceptions, Cherry argues the "poise and mid-range accuracy" suggest a Day 2 talent playing in a Day 3 slot.
For a fifth-round "gamble," Sanders displayed enough to deserve a legitimate chance to compete and win the starting QB job in 2026. It will be interesting to see how the new head coach of the Browns (whoever that ends up being) views Sanders.
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