Shedeur Sanders Reportedly Was 'Locked In' on Teams in Top 7 of NFL Draft Before Slide

Shedeur Sanders' slide to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft is still generating plenty of headlines, and he reportedly didn't give as much attention as he perhaps should have to teams that weren't drafting in the first few picks.

"There were people saying he was locked in on those teams picking in the top seven and not giving as much time and attention to some of those other teams through the process," NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah said Tuesday on the Rich Eisen Show (2:20 mark). "So they didn't have as full of a work up on him as they would have liked to feel comfortable with him."

Ironically, Sanders ended up going to one of those teams that picked in the top seven in the Cleveland Browns, although only after they also selected Oregon's Dillon Gabriel in the third round and passed on the Colorado prospect until the draft's third day.

How Sanders handled the predraft process has also been a major focal point in the aftermath of the draft.

CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones (2:38 mark) reported Saturday that Sanders "more or less sandbagged" interviews with teams he didn't want to go to ahead of the draft. According to Jones, the quarterback "rubbed some teams the wrong way" with his approach.

What's more, NFL insider Josina Anderson reported a quarterbacks coach said the signal-caller came off as "arrogant" and "brash," while NFL draft insider Todd McShay noted some teams questioned his lack of a "professional approach" in meetings.

Ultimately, Sanders' slide ended up being the biggest story of the draft.

But the only way he can make it a footnote in his career is by finding success on the field at the next level. And he is part of a quarterback room in Cleveland that could give him an opportunity to compete for immediate playing time.

Deshaun Watson is sidelined by another Achilles injury, Kenny Pickett is anything but a surefire starter, Joe Flacco is 40 years old and Gabriel is a rookie just like Sanders.

It wouldn't be shocking if he played his way into a starting role during his rookie season and puts the draft slide behind him.