Sanders wanted to get drafted elsewhere to move up the slots for starting quarterback.
A new NFL Draft news leak revealed more insight into Shedeur Sanders’ controversial fifth-round selection.
As many suspected, the top-ranked quarterback was supposed to get picked up before his official 144th selection by the Cleveland Browns. However, the 23-year-old athlete reportedly stopped his own bag when another team had plans to choose him. NFL insider and journalist, Adam Schefter, dropped the shocking news.
Ravens planned to take Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round, but before Baltimore could turn in the card, the former Colorado star let it be known that he didn’t want to be on a roster with Lamar Jackson, where he would be a backup. https://t.co/v1om447zHN— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 14, 2025
The Baltimore Ravens reportedly had plans to bring Sanders to Charm City to fill out their quarterback slots. However, league sources told Schefter that Sanders asked the franchise to go another way.
The young QB allegedly did not want to sit as backup behind star quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson is already a two-time MVP with the Ravens and is in good health, making Sanders’ playing time with the franchise relatively limited.
Instead, Sanders wanted to play for a team with better opportunities to start as a quarterback. However, Sanders now sits on the third string for a team with four quarterbacks still on its roster.
The Browns already met the Ravens in an early-season matchup on Sept. 14, where Baltimore bested the team with a 41-17 win. Sanders was also approached about the draft leaks in a post-game interview. However, the former Colorado star remained quiet about what happened during the selection process.
“My response is I’m focused on the now,” he said, according to ESPN. “I don’t really talk about anything in the past, and whatever happened in the past, it is what it is. I’m more focused on now. I’m more focused on how this game that we just went and had, and figuring out how to move forward from now.”
Currently, Sanders serves as the third-string quarterback for the Browns as he continues to move up the franchise’s roster.
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Source: Black Enterprise
