Shedeur Sanders historic NFL Draft free fall not a 'shock,' former NFL star says

Shedeur Sanders' historical escaped autumn successful the NFL Draft past week came arsenic a daze to many, but not to erstwhile NFL prima Eddie George. 

Sanders was thought by astir NFL Draft experts to beryllium picked successful the archetypal round, which is wherefore truthful galore NFL fans and analysts alike were amazed that helium fell to the 5th round. 

"I didn’t deliberation it was a spot of a shock. I thought that the NFL spoke, the draught spoke and said, ‘Hey, we don’t person a first-round people connected this kid’ and that’s OK," George said during a caller quality connected OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich."

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Colorado Buffalos backmost Shedeur Sanders looks connected anterior to the crippled against the Arizona Wildcats astatine Arizona Stadium successful Tucson, Arizona, connected Oct. 19, 2024. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

"I cognize a batch of radical thought that helium was the archetypal 3 picks and truthful forth. He’s a phenomenal talent, but erstwhile you bash your owed diligence, and you vet these kids out, and you person the combine, you person the idiosyncratic interviews, immoderate things travel retired that are consistent. And was accordant was that they felt that helium wasn’t a starting backmost close now."

The Cleveland Browns, contempt taking Oregon backmost Dillon Gabriel with their third-round pick, selected Sanders with their fifth-round pick, the 144th wide prime successful the NFL Draft. 

George said that Sanders’ draught descent volition crook into his "finest hour."

"I deliberation this volition beryllium Shedeur’s finest hour. He has an accidental present to spell and vie for the occupation and amusement radical that, hey, you missed retired connected a large opportunity. You know, I archer kids each the clip it’s not however you commencement successful the NFL, it’s however you finish. So helium got his ft successful the door, helium got drafted, he’s got an accidental to compete. Now it’s up to him to amusement and beryllium radical incorrect however they missed retired connected him," George said.

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A graphic announcing Colorado backmost Shedeur Sanders’ enactment by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th wide prime is seen successful the Draft Theater during the 3rd time of the 2025 NFL Draft astatine Lambeau Field connected April 25, 2025. (Tork Mason/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

The Browns presently person 5 quarterbacks connected their roster but person nary wide starting quarterback. Deshaun Watson re-ruptured his Achilles tendon successful January aft helium underwent country connected that aforesaid tendon successful October 2024, and his presumption for the upcoming play is successful doubt. 

The Browns acquired Kenny Pickett successful a commercialized with the Philadelphia Eagles and signed Joe Flacco to a one-year declaration anterior to the NFL Draft. With the additions of Gabriel and Sanders to an already packed backmost room, it remains to beryllium seen who volition get the Week 1 nod. 

George coached against Sanders past play with Tennessee State and said the erstwhile Colorado prima tin "spin it."

"I cognize the benignant of antheral helium is, I cognize the cloth helium is chopped from. I cognize a batch of radical fig that helium is arrogant and not serious, but I had the accidental to manager against that kid and helium tin rotation it. He tin enactment the shot places that wherever helium knows to spell with the football. He has a precise precocious shot IQ, and helium has to physique connected that astatine the adjacent level."

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Former NFL subordinate Eddie George signs a shot for the fans during the 2nd fractional of the crippled betwixt the East and the West astatine AT&T Stadium connected Jan. 30, 2025. (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

George had a nine-year NFL vocation arsenic a moving back. He spent 8 seasons with the Tennessee Titans and 1 with the Dallas Cowboys. George won violative rookie of the twelvemonth and was named to the Pro-Bowl squad 4 times, portion helium was a first-team All-Pro once. 

He rushed for 10,441 yards and 68 touchdowns successful his career. 

George was hired by Bowling Green successful March aft helium spent the past 4 seasons arsenic the caput manager astatine Tennessee State. He was named the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference manager of the twelvemonth successful 2024. 

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