Shedeur Sanders Says 'My Job Here Isn't to Prove People Wrong... I Prove Myself Right'

Shedeur Sanders isn't focusing on trying to send a message to anyone in the aftermath of falling to the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft before the Cleveland Browns finally ended his wait with the 144th overall pick.

Speaking to reporters from the site of Cleveland's rookie minicamp on Saturday (starts at 23:55), Sanders explained "my job here isn't to prove people wrong" because "I prove myself right" with his belief in himself.

For all of the discussion about Sanders' pre-draft meetings with teams, he is doing a great job of publicly keeping all of the focus on things within his control.

With the exception of one report that described him as "pissed" at the New York Giants when they were going over an install during a meeting, there's no indication Sanders is holding a grudge at being a fifth-round pick when he was being projected as a first-round talent.

All that matters at this point is what Sanders shows the Browns on the field and behind the scenes. He is in a great spot to show off what he can do for a team that is looking for one of their quarterbacks to step up and earn the starting job.

Dillon Gabriel, a third-round pick by the Browns, took the first snaps during the 11-on-11 period on Friday. Head coach Kevin Stefanski downplayed any significance to that decision.

"I think you’ll see the whole weekend, going through the spring, we don’t pay too close attention to who’s in there first," Stefanski told reporters.

The Browns did post a clip on X of Sanders throwing in the seven-on-seven portion of Friday's practice.

The other quarterbacks on Cleveland's depth chart include Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett. Deshaun Watson is also on the roster, but he seems like a long shot to play in 2025 after tearing the same Achilles twice in the span of three months between October and January.

Sanders can prove himself right and make all of the teams that passed on him multiple times in the draft with a strong camp that puts him in position to win the starting job going into the regular season.

If that were to happen, Sanders would be the first rookie quarterback selected on day three of the draft to start in Week 1 since Dak Prescott with the Dallas Cowboys in 2016.