As the Cleveland Browns prepare for the NFL Draft on Thursday, I’ve heard enough Browns fans say, “Well, don’t just take a quarterback at No.2 just because…” when referring to Shedeur Sanders, the polarizing quarterback from Colorado. At this point, it’s expected that the Tennessee Titans will be picking quarterback Cam Ward of Miami with the No. 1 pick in the draft. That leaves the Browns to make the next pick at No.2. Despite Cleveland’s need for a new franchise quarterback, there’s been a lot of speculation that the team would take either Travis Hunter (Colorado), a wide receiver/cornerback, or Abdul Carter (Penn State), a defensive end.
While either a Hunter or Carter pick wouldn’t be the worst move to make, the fact that some Cleveland fans are so quick to dismiss Sanders and his talent and potential stardom in the NFL remains a baffling opinion. I believe there are many reasons for this quick opinion on the quarterback from Colorado. The primary reasons have to do with the fact that this player is very confident, almost too cocky when taking about his abilities on the football field. That confident arrogance, however, is getting magnified because he’s the child of Deion Sanders, the NFL Hall of Famer and current football coach at Colorado. The elder Sander’s cockiness and arrogance over the years has often rubbed folks the wrong way and I believe the younger Sanders is getting a negative light pushed down over him despite him being a very talented football player.
Some of you will immediately dismiss this opinion and say, “No, it’s not about his dad or the kids’ arrogance; it’s just that he’s not a very good quarterback.”
This is also when a lot of the so-called NFL drafting analysts and football fans alike will start talking about Sanders’ “value” not being worthy of a No. 2 pick in the draft. In my opinion, the whole “value” thing is way “over valued” in this day and age and doesn’t help teams out in terms of wins and losses.
The Browns are a mess after finishing last season with a 3-14 record. They are coming off the “swing and a miss” soap box of the Deshaun Watson trade from 2022. They need to turn things around now. This organization shouldn’t be in a rebuild. Recently, resigned defensive end Myles Garrett didn’t return after demanding a trade a few months ago to watch current Browns quarterbacks Joe Flacco (who’s 40 years old) and Kenny Pickett try to lead this offense to better times. While “Flacco Mania” is back, and he did lead the Browns to four straight wins at the end of the 2023 season to sneak the Browns into the playoffs, one can’t plan on that happening again, even though it was fantastic to watch at the time.
The Browns aren’t just taking a quarterback at No. 2 just because. Sanders is a hugely successful quarterback who has played with the spotlight on him for years, having grown up in his father’s shadow. The kid knows football and has learned from the best in his father.
Sanders led college football in passing accuracy at 74% last season. He also has a college best 71.8 % mark for his career at Colorado. He threw 64 touchdowns to only 13 interceptions and averaged 306 yards of passing in his time with the Buffaloes. He earned his NFL Draft position at No. 2, and the Browns would be making a huge mistake by not taking him there at No. 2.
Some analysts and Browns fans are now trying to argue that the team could select Hunter or Carter and then try to trade back into the 1st round and select Sanders, who many of these same folks are saying may fall in the draft because his “value” is more closely tied to the later stages of the 1st round or even the 2nd round.
This is simply hogwash, and if the Browns want to win and win now, then they should take Sanders at the No. 2 pick. If Cleveland selects either Hunter or Carter, they won’t be any closer to helping the Browns win games. Sanders will help his new team win games, and it’s absolutely ridiculous that some want to continue to suggest that the Browns shouldn’t just take a QB at No.2 just because. Sanders is not “just another quarterback”. The last one the Browns drafted in the early stages of a draft was Baker Mayfield back in 2018, who did very well to help Cleveland win again.
I believe Shedeur Sanders would do that for the Cleveland Browns now if he were drafted at No. 2 on Thursday.
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