Heading into the draft, Sanders was widely expected to be the second quarterback off the board behind Cam Ward, who was selected No. 1 overall by the Tennessee Titans. Instead, he slid all the way to the fifth round before the Browns eventually decided to trade up and select him with the No. 144 pick.

University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was once expected to be a top five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, after not hearing his name called during Thursday's first round or Friday's second and third rounds,

But Shedeur Sanders was not the usual 144th pick and his situation transcended football. The narrative around Sanders blurred lines between sports, race and culture. The former University of Colorado quarterback was the center of a three-day spectacle of cringe that will live in football lore for a long time.