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Shedeur Sanders Predicted to Replace $230M QB

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Jan 3, 2025 3:59 PM ET

Shedeur Sanders' career with the Colorado Buffaloes has come to a close, and now the quarterback will prepare for the upcoming 2025 NFL draft.

The season didn't end the way Sanders and Colorado would have wanted, falling to Big 12 foe, the BYU Cougars, 36-14, in the Alamo Bowl despite being 2.5-point favorites (ESPN BET).

The junior from Dallas, Texas, finished his final season in Boulder completing 353-of-477 passes for 4,134 yards, 37 touchdowns and ten interceptions while adding another four scores on the ground. His play earned him Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors, and he is widely considered the top quarterback in the draft.

However, The 33rd Team's Ian Valentino believes Sanders will be the second quarterback taken in the draft, going to the Cleveland Browns with the No. 3 pick in Valentino's latest mock.

"Some believe there's no chance Deion Sanders will allow Shedeur Sanders to land in Cleveland, but there's not much leverage created from lobbying the media," Valentino wrote. "Shedeur Sanders is well-equipped to maximize Kevin Stefanski's offense on Day 1 and get the Browns back to the playoffs. His playmaking, high football IQ, and accuracy will translate to the NFL, and getting the Browns into a perennial playoff team would make him a legend."

Shedeur Sanders becomes a Cleveland Brown in our latest mock pic.twitter.com/4OY3r44r6j
— The 33rd Team (@The33rdTeamFB) January 3, 2025

The New York Giants fell in the draft thanks to a 45-33 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17. This allowed the Browns to move up, being the second QB-needy team to pick behind the Tennessee Titans.

Cleveland is still stuck with Deshaun Watson's massive five-year, $230M contract, which goes through the 2026 season. In his three years with the Browns, the former Houston Texans Pro Bowler has been unable to stay healthy, only playing in 19 games, including seven in 2024.

However, when Watson is able to take the field, his performance has been underwhelming. In 2024, he completed 63.4% of his passes for 1,148 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions, going 1-6 in those contests.

If Sanders were to go to the Browns, he would have a few weapons alongside him, including running back Nick Chubb and wide receiver. Cleveland has been looking for its quarterback of the future for many years now, and Sanders could be its guy.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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