Shedeur Sanders Reflects on NFL Draft Slide: “I Could Have Gone About Things Differently”

Shedeur Sanders, the newest quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, is already showing a level of introspection that’s as rare as a quiet NFL draft night. After being picked in the fifth round at 144th overall, Sanders admitted he’s learned some lessons along the way. "Do I have any regrets?" Sanders pondered during his first post-draft media session. "I feel like in life, it’s always a way I can improve. Some things that seemed right at the time, I could have gone about in a different way, especially during the season."

Sanders didn’t just slip in the draft—he took a full-on tumble. But if you expected him to wallow, think again. "Nothing really affected me the last couple of days. You know, just really push having faith and understanding, you know, God really had me, and I’m favored, I’m blessed," Sanders said, still sounding unshaken. He added, "I know I gotta clean up some things in my game for me to be at my best, but that’s what I take each offseason one at a time and fix it."

He credits his father, Colorado coach and football legend Deion Sanders, for helping him through the ordeal: "He said, ‘God got us.’ I look at what went on and everything as a football game. You may not come out early hot, that may not happen. But when it’s down to the final two minutes, the stakes get real. That’s where I thrive." That’s one way to turn draft disappointment into a motivational movie montage.

Sanders has picked up a reputation for being a bit entitled and cocky at times, but he’s hoping the Browns’ locker room gets to see the "real me." "Get there and handle my business, do what I have to do, whatever role that is, I’m just thankful for the opportunity. The rest is on me." He’s determined to earn respect from veterans and coaches alike, wanting to prove his value goes beyond rumors and hot takes.

While he clearly doesn’t love being passed over by all 32 teams until round five, at least Sanders isn’t playing the victim. "Talent is everywhere throughout the draft. It’s about just being picked and who sees your value. There’s a lot of valuable players that go in the rounds after the first and second. So, I’m a product of one of those." Sanders insists he’ll prove himself on the field: "What fuels me is my purpose in life and understanding the route we’re gonna have to take. I was able to get an opportunity when a lot of people didn’t want to give me one. That’s what I’m truly thankful for."