NFL rookie Shedeur Sanders may have fallen deeper than expected during the 2025 draft, but the former college star may find a better future outside of the Cleveland Browns, if one analyst’s prediction is to be believed.
In one of the recent podcast episodes of “Say What Needs to Be Said,” analyst Asante Samuel predicted that Shedeur Sanders may have the option to find better opportunities outside of the Browns, as he linked him to a potential trade even before the 2025 season opens.
“They (Browns) open up with the (Carolina) Panthers in preseason, and this may be where Shedeur Sanders gets a lot of reps, a lot of opportunities,” Samuel said. “He’s going to have the opportunity to show what he can do in the NFL. … I don’t expect Joe Flacco to get into the (preseason) game. But you know what’s most important about this game? 32 teams are watching.”
Samuel also added that if what he thinks pushes through, fans could witness a “bizarre” deal not commonly heard of within the NFL.
“Now, he goes out there and does something like he did today, nine for nine, two touchdowns, 32 other teams are watching. Oh man, this might be the first time we see in history that something bizarre happens, where a team tries to make a trade for him, like the Indianapolis Colts.”
Sanders, the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, immediately lauded the Browns’ bold pivot after the selection, expressing gratitude for their “faith in my arm and leadership.” The move capped one of the draft’s most surprising turnarounds and underscored Cleveland’s willingness to embrace upside, even at the eleventh hour.
Shedeur Sanders Not Considered by Cleveland Until Last Minute, Owner Reveals
Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam admitted the organization had no plans to select quarterback Shedeur Sanders as Friday’s second round wound down, despite widespread buzz. It wasn’t until the third day of the draft, with only a few hours left, that Haslam and his front office convened in earnest, revisiting the roster blueprint and Sanders’s pro potential.
“If you had asked me Friday night, driving home, whether we’d take him, I would have said, ‘That’s not happening,’” Haslam confessed during a recent press appearance.
That late-morning huddle on Day Three of the draft was significant. With Sanders still on the board for reasons we won’t speculate on, key decision-makers (GM Andrew Berry, Head Coach Kevin Stefanski) huddled with Haslam to determine Sanders’s fit with the incumbent teammates at quarterback.
Ultimately, the Browns’ decision-makers decided that Sanders’s competitive pedigree and dual-threat capability could provide the Browns another dimension on offense.
As training camp approaches, all eyes will be on how swiftly Shedeur Sanders acclimates to the Browns’ system and whether that final-minute gamble pays dividends under center.
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