This Sunday will feature the highly anticipated starting debut of the most polarizing draft prospect in memory, with Shedeur Sanders guiding the Cleveland Browns against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Although a matchup between a pair of 2-8 squads typically doesn’t register as more than a blip on the NFL radar, this game is different due to the outsized attention Sanders receives — it’ll be must-see TV for supporters and detractors alike.
As a former NFL scout with 20-plus years of experience as a talent evaluator, I have never seen a player garner so much interest from experts and casual fans. The Sanders saga has captivated the football world for years. After initially lighting up the Southwestern Athletic Conference for two seasons at Jackson State, the quarterback helped turn Colorado into a ratings machine for a couple years, and then he fueled impassioned debate during this past spring’s pre-draft process. I viewed Sanders as QB1 of the draft class, given his spectacular play while transforming two downtrodden programs into winners, and figured he was ticketed for Round 1.
While my evaluation certainly did not align with where Sanders ultimately came off the board — Round 5, No. 144 overall — the 6-foot-2, 212-pounder earned high marks from me as a classic dropback passer with outstanding touch, anticipation and timing. As a rhythm thrower with superb accuracy and ball placement at the college level, Sanders had the kind of game to fit a traditional pro-style offense featuring old-school dropback and play-action concepts that work the middle of the field. Although he lacked the arm strength to beat defenders with pure gas, Sanders routinely squeezed balls in between second-level defenders on layered throws with surgical precision. He torched collegiate opponents with anticipatory tosses into tight windows, particularly when delivering from a clean pocket that enabled him to step into his throws unobstructed.
However, Sanders’ game changed dramatically when the pass rush collapsed the pocket. He showed poor discipline, drifting and retreating from rushers before taking unnecessary sacks or making poor decisions that led to head-scratching turnovers. For a high-IQ player who demonstrated outstanding situational awareness and game-management skills in other areas, Sanders’ panicked response to pressure raised questions about his ability to thrive as a limited athlete.
Fast-forward to the 2025 NFL preseason, and Sanders teased and tormented his supporters with uneven play. During his preseason debut against the Carolina Panthers, he completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Sanders dropped a few dimes that confirmed his talent as a pinpoint passer with excellent anticipation. Though he did hold on to the ball too long at times, resulting in bad sacks and poor throws, it was a dazzling performance overall.
Two weeks later, Sanders bombed against the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason finale. Playing with the third-string offense, he completed three of his six passes for 14 yards, while taking five sacks and fumbling the football. The rookie wilted under the pressure, displaying all of the negative traits that led some evaluators to label him as a developmental prospect (Day 3, Rounds 4-7) who needed some skill refinement and overall development before he could compete as a starter.