Shedeur Sanders Responds to Rumors About Pre-Draft Interviews, 'Non-Factor to Me Now'

How Shedeur Sanders handled predraft interviews with NFL teams became a major storyline as the quarterback continued to slide during the draft, and he addressed some of those rumors and reports during a Sunday conference call after the Cleveland Browns eventually selected him. 

"I think what happened is I had a great interview and a great process with the Browns, and that's why they were able to pick me," he said (14-minute mark). "So anything outside the organization is really a non-factor to me now because this is my focus and this is where my mind is, doing everything I can to make this team better."

He was also asked if he had any regrets with how he handled the process leading up to the draft.

"I feel like in life there are always ways I can improve," (10:45 mark). "There are different areas I'm able to improve. And some things I could have done at the time, that seemed right at the time, I could have gone about it a different way."

Sanders ended up falling to the fifth round, where the Browns chose him even though they had already selected Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel earlier in the draft.

The Colorado signal-caller became the story of the draft, and CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones (2:38 mark) reported that he heard Sanders "more or less sandbagged" interviews with teams he didn't want to go to during the draft:

Jones also noted the quarterback "did not give it his all" during some meetings, which "rubbed some teams the wrong way."

Elsewhere, NFL insider Josina Anderson reported a quarterbacks coach said Sanders came off as "brash" and "arrogant" during the interview, while NFL draft insider Todd McShay reported some teams around the league thought he didn't have a "professional approach" during the meetings.

Perhaps the interview process played a role in his fall. Perhaps it combined with a number of other factors, including concerns about his arm strength and anticipation as a thrower, the attention he would draw to a team as a possible backup, and the general thought that the 2025 quarterback class was a weak one.

The end result was the Browns adding him to a quarterback room that also features an injured Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett and Gabriel.

At least Sanders isn't walking into a loaded position group where he won't have a chance to compete for the starting job, which could be a silver lining for his fall.