The Cleveland Browns appeared to be out of the running for Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, opting to take Oregon signal-caller Dillon Gabriel with the team’s No. 94 pick.
That wasn’t the case as Cleveland decided to trade up in the fifth round, taking Sanders with the No. 144 pick in the fifth round.
Sanders fell precipitously from his original draft evaluation, falling from a potential top-three pick all the way into the third day of this year’s draft.
Fans and analysts have praised the addition, but one of the team’s biggest names came out in support of Sanders well before the draft began.
Now, old comments that Browns legend Joe Thomas said about Sanders are going viral as the NFL Hall of Famer supported Cleveland’s decision to take the quarterback.
“I really like Shedeur. I don’t think he’s the right pick at No. 2 because of all the things I said about Travis Hunter, but I think as a quarterback, he’s got the most important trait. And that’s decision-making and accuracy. You can turn that skill set into a great quarterback in the NFL,” Thomas said.
I talked to @ProFootballHOF OT & Browns legend Joe Thomas about Shedeur Sanders earlier in the week. @joethomas73 is a big fan of @ShedeurSanders because of his decision making and accuracy. @InfSportsNet @923TheFan @DeionSanders @Browns pic.twitter.com/d565yUDU8x
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) April 26, 2025
Thomas added that most strong quarterbacks in the NFL have been accurate and good decision-makers, a set of skills that he sees with Sanders.
Cleveland GM Andrew Berry echoed Thomas’ sentiment during his final press conference after selecting Sanders, noting that he liked his poise and pocket presence.
Sanders had plenty of opportunities to work on his game during college, starting 50 contests between his time at Jackson State and Colorado.
The quarterback completed over 65 percent of his passes every season, including his 74.0 completion percentage in 2024.
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