The debate over Shedeur Sanders’ rookie year continues to boil, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. Is coming out swinging.
Despite a rollercoaster 2025 season in Cleveland, Kiper isn’t just defending the young quarterback, he's calling out what he sees as unfair negativity from anyone who didn't see the flashes of greatness.
"If you're going to sit there and tell me you weren't impressed with the rookie year Shedeur Sanders had, I'm going to say you weren't watching the same game I was," Kiper blasted. He pointed to "brutal weather" and a lack of training camp as context, comparing Sanders early struggles to those of Bills star Josh Allen.
However, Todd McShay isn't fully sold on the fifth-round pick being the long-term solution in Cleveland. On "The McShay Show" he noted that while Sanders can be a "multi-year starter," he lacks the "special arm" of a Caleb Williams, and struggles with a "hero brand" of football.
With the Browns continuing to rebuild and a new head coach coming in, McShay predicts Sanders future is likely with another organization via trade.
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More: Where did the Browns rank on ESPN’s NFL rookie class list?
The Shedeur Sanders Rookie Report Card
The Good:
Historic Production: Joined Joe Burrow as the only rookies with 350+ passing yards, throwing for three scores, and a rushing TD in a single game (Week 14 vs. Titans).
Big Play Energy: Sanders joined Aaron Rodgers as the only quarterbacks since 2000 to have four completions of 50-plus yards within their first three career starts. He was also the only signal-caller in the league to have multiple completions of 50+ yards in his first start.
Toughness: Stepped in mid-season with zero first-team reps and survived tough opponents and bad weather. Led the Browns to a 3-4 record over his seven starts.
The Bad:
Ball Security: Finished with 10 interceptions compared to seven touchdowns, against just 7 touchdowns and a 68.1 passer rating.
Pocket Awareness: Averaged over 3.5 seconds to throw--one of the league's slowest marks--leading to 23 sacks in eight game appearances.
Scheme Discipline: McShay noted a tendency to "drift and slide" out of the pocket rather than playing within the structure.
In fairness to the former Colorado Buffalo star, Sanders was playing behind an injury plagued O-line and an underwhelming at best receiver corps.
Currently Deshaun Watson and Dillon Gabriel join No. 2 in Cleveland's QB room. Does GM Andrew Berry make any changes this offseason, or will this be a three-headed starter competition in training camp?
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