Former Colorado Buffaloes Davey O’Brien Award-winning quarterback Shedeur Sanders and the Cleveland Browns’ 2025 rookie class have reported to the facilities for the start of rookie minicamp. Sanders’ arrival was shared by the Cleveland Browns’ social media pages along with his first time seeing his fully stocked locker. Sanders also got to hold his jersey with his new number, 12, the highest-selling rookie jersey amongst all drafted players.
Sanders is slated for a quarterback battle with former Oregon Ducks All-American Dillon Gabriel, who was selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Browns. Sanders was selected two rounds after in the fifth round. As shocking a surprise as that was, the slates are now wiped clean according to Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. Both quarterbacks will have ample opportunity to win their roster spot and potentially a starting job.
"The truth is, once you are in the building, nobody really cares where you were drafted. First round, fifth round, undrafted, I’ve been around many great players that weren’t drafted. Clearly [Sanders] has the talent to go higher in the draft. He didn't. That’s our job now, to dive into the things where we can help him. None of these guys are finished products and Shedeur certainly has things he can work on,” Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said.
Sanders will have his first opportunity to establish himself as a professional this weekend. Rookie minicamps aren’t the end-all be-all, but they are important to establishing a firm footing with new teammates and coaches. As Sanders is also in a competition with other rookie quarterbacks, it’s also an opportunity to separate himself from newfound competition. Jobs aren’t won and lost in one weekend, but it’s never a bad thing to get out to a good start.
Various players on the established roster have already voiced their support for Sanders. Tight end David Njoku, defensive backs Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome, and other Browns starters have all taken to social media to support their new teammate. While it takes more to win over and locker room, it is certainly noteworthy that Sanders has so much support from within the locker room already. Sanders has generally been well-liked by his teammates at every stop of his young career.
Sanders has already made an imprint on the community in Cleveland, having visited multiple schools and also worked out with a group of young players in the area. While it is not usual for a rookie to acclimate so quickly to a new environment, Sanders appears to be well on his way to becoming a staple in the greater Cleveland area. As his attention shifts to mainly focusing on football, planting roots beyond that is also important for a potential face of the franchise.
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