Analyst believes Shedeur Sanders' NFL survival depends on “Russell Wilson-type preseason” after falling to 5th round 

Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders could face a difficult battle to make his mark in the NFL. The former Colorado QB suffered a heavy fall during the 2025 draft, and while he was expected to become a first-round pick, his name was only called in the fifth round.

He was also the second quarterback taken by the franchise, as the Browns used a third-round pick on Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Shedeur's fall could've happened for many reasons. But his status as a fifth-round pick won't guarantee game time or an easy life for him in the pros. He also may not have time to properly acclimate to the NFL, and if he does not impress during training camp, his spot on the 53-man roster could be in jeopardy.

Former NFL wide receiver James Jones, who made his name with the Green Bay Packers, believes that Sanders' low draft positioning is not something to be proud of. On FS1's "The Facility", Jones brushed aside the idea of "blessing in disguise", instead pointing out how he's going to have to produce a lot sooner rather than later:

"I don't know how he's going to look in the preseason, but this is an uphill battle for Shedeur. He's not walking in there in the first three rounds with the opportunity to truly be the starter on that team. He's going to have to have a Russell Wilson-type preseason even to make the team. Because I don't know if you're necessarily saying that a fifth-rounder is just gonna jump up there and be a starter."

Wilson's 2012 preseason not only was enough to keep him on the roster, but he ousted veteran Matt Flynn, who signed a big contract with the franchise during the offseason, to become their starter. Wilson subsequently had a long and successful career with the Seattle Seahawks.

Shedeur Sanders admits interviews might have been a problem in draft season

Speaking to Cleveland reporters after he was a late-round pick by the Browns, Sanders was asked about reports of bad interviews he had during the draft process. The quarterback admitted that this might have played a part in his long wait:

"I feel like, in life, there's always a way I can improve," Sanders said via YahooSports.com. "I'm able to improve. And some things that I [did] that seemed right at the time, I could've went about it a different way."

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